Minor drug-use cases almost doubled in a year
The number of drug trafficking cases is rising in the Republic of Moldova, with traffickers employing increasingly sophisticated methods to smuggle prohibited substances into the country. In the first five months of this year, authorities reported opening 714 criminal cases, approximately 150 more than during the same period last year. Additionally, the number of individuals using drugs has also seen a significant increase, with around 14,000 people registered at the end of last year.
Drug addiction can affect anyone, regardless of their background, and recognizing the problem is the most difficult step towards recovery, says Alexandru Șmiglu, a consultant at the Therapeutic Community "Inițiativa Pozitivă", who himself has gone through the experience of addiction.
He says that he started using drugs at the age of 15, although he came from a good family. He tried, without success, to change his job, friends and even the country he lived in, but he managed to give up using drugs only after accepting the help of specialists and following a rehabilitation program.
Currently, Alexandru counsels young people facing the same problem and says that his personal experience helps him gain the trust of the beneficiaries. An individual intervention plan is developed for each beneficiary.
"It is very important for the person to have someone who has gone through similar experiences with him, to motivate him and show him that it is possible to overcome addiction", mentioned Alexandru Șmiglu.
More and more minors are coming to the attention of narcologists, the phenomenon of drug use being more widespread than official statistics show, claims doctor Ana Constantinova, from the Republican Narcology Dispensary. According to her, in the municipality of Chisinau, the number of minors registered for drug use increased from 27 to 46 in a single year.
"I think that unofficial statistical data is much sadder and we have many more people, because not everyone dares and not every parent comes to a narcologist or psychiatrist", Ana Constantinova emphasized.
Drug traffickers are becoming increasingly inventive in hiding and selling drugs, claims the head of the Anti-Drug Directorate at the National Investigation Inspectorate, Ruslan Cucu. He also stated that a large part of the drug trade is organized through groups on the Telegram application, where thousands of users can buy and sell prohibited substances. Although the authorities have sent hundreds of requests to the platform administrators, these have remained unanswered. In these conditions, the police have developed their own investigative methods to document the activity of criminal groups in the online environment.
"We have an essential increase in drugs taken out of circulation. In terms of marijuana, we have a 50% increase compared to last year, and for synthetic drugs CPPP we have, likewise, a 50% increase. Recently, drugs have appeared, PVP salt in liquid form. The last detention we had was one in which they were very ingenious: they passed two customs controls, they ended up in our hands in the Republic of Moldova, where we carried out searches, and in the end we discovered that there was not diesel fuel in the plastic barrel, but drugs in liquid form. We could see, when we took a few drops out of the barrel to see what was there, that the smell was of diesel fuel", declared Ruslan Cucu.
Behind every statistic about drug use is a life story. For some, addiction began in adolescence and completely changed their destiny. However, recovery is possible, and the first and most important step is accepting help and following a rehabilitation program in a specialized center, says former drug addict Svetlana Paniș.
“I started using drugs when I was about 16 years old. Back then, it was heroin. I was addicted for 20 years, and now I have been sober for 13 years. I followed a rehabilitation program for nine months. It was very difficult to make the decision to go to rehabilitation, but after that everything became easier,” said Svetlana Paniș.
Combating drug use is one of the priorities of the Ministry of Health. According to the Secretary of State, Angela Paraschiv, the estimated number of drug users has increased from 11,400 in 2022 to 12,400 in 2024.
“Of these, approximately 704 people are in medical records, and 666 benefit from substitution treatment. Unfortunately, estimates based on studies show that the real number of people who use or have used drugs is much higher – around 50 thousand. We are also talking about young people who have tried drugs,” said Angela Paraschiv.
The family plays an essential role in preventing drug use, and parents must communicate openly with children about the risks associated with the use of prohibited substances, emphasizes psychologist Tatiana Mardari.
"Prevention of drug use begins in the family. The more communication and trust there is between parents and children, the lower the risk. It is equally important for young people to have a trusted adult or a school psychologist by their side to support them in difficult times. There are also helplines, as well as volunteer and support groups, where they can ask for help when they need it," said Tatiana Mardari.
The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is marked annually on June 26, having been established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1987.
According to the National Agency for Public Health, the Republic of Moldova faces challenges similar to those reported at the European level. Data shows an increase in the incidence of drug addiction from 44 new cases per 100 thousand inhabitants in 2024 to 50.7 cases in 2025.
