Crystal Meth in Mykonos: Party Scene and Drug Availability

Crystal Meth in Mykonos: Party Scene and Drug Availability

Methamphetamine remains a drug with the potential to cause significant harm. Mykonos, famous for its intense nightlife, primarily features recreational drugs like cocaine and MDMA, but the national rise of ‘sisa’ (methamphetamine) indicates potential market changes. While specific local data for Mykonos is not widely publicized, its drug market is influenced by the nation’s overall situation.

Regional Usage and Sourcing

Methamphetamine use has been spreading to new markets in Southern Europe, with Athens being a notable example.

• Greek Context: Wastewater analysis in Athens detected a **2-fold increase** in methamphetamine use between 2010 and 2014, associated with the cheap street drug “sisa”.
• Sourcing: Reports indicate increasing use of crystal methamphetamine among heroin injectors in Greece, suggesting a shift in the high-risk drug market. The city is also on the Balkan route, a corridor for methamphetamine trafficking.
• Forms of Methamphetamine: “Sisa” is a localized form of crystal meth, but traditional powder and crystal forms are also available, often supplied by trafficking networks.

Severe Health and Social Consequences

The harms associated with methamphetamine use are universal and pose a severe public health threat in any community, including Mykonos.

Physical Effects

• Cardiovascular Damage: Methamphetamine use immediately increases heart rate and blood pressure. Long-term abuse can lead to severe health problems like stroke, heart attack, and heart failure.
• Toxicity and Overdose: Use can cause fatal or non-fatal overdose (“overamping”), seizures, and a rapid, dangerous increase in body temperature (hyperthermia).
• “Meth Mouth”: Chronic use often results in severe tooth decay and loss. This is caused by a combination of drug-induced dry mouth (xerostomia), teeth grinding (bruxism), and poor hygiene.
• Infections: Injecting methamphetamine, a practice reported among Greek heroin users, significantly increases the risk of **HIV and viral hepatitis**.

Psychological Effects

• Psychosis and Paranoia: Long-term use is strongly linked to psychotic symptoms, including paranoia, visual and auditory hallucinations, and fixed, false delusions. A common delusion is the sensation of insects creeping under the skin (*formication*).
• Violent Behavior: Chronic users may exhibit aggressive and violent behavior due to agitation, paranoia, and severe mood swings.
• Cognitive Decline: Long-term abuse causes brain changes, resulting in deficits in memory, attention, problem-solving, and verbal learning.

Social and Community Impact

• Addiction: Methamphetamine has a high potential for abuse and dependence, leading to compulsive drug-seeking behavior.
• Community Harm: The rise in use of ‘sisa’ is directly linked to **severe socioeconomic changes** and the economic crisis in Greece, disproportionately affecting marginalized populations.
• Economic Strain: The drug poses significant challenges to healthcare professionals and places a substantial burden on law enforcement and the legal system.

Legality and Penalties in Greece

Greece maintains a strict legal framework for high-risk narcotics like methamphetamine.

• Personal Use: While some EU countries have decriminalized personal use, Greece maintains criminal penalties for possession, though health-focused alternatives may be available.
• Trafficking: The production and distribution of methamphetamine are treated as strictly criminal offenses. The maximum penalty for basic drug trafficking offenses in EU member states can vary significantly but generally involves prison sentences to deter the supply of dangerous narcotics.