Substance abuse and gambling have risen significantly among young people in Cyprus, director of the centre for information and treatment of addictions Kenthea, Elena Zarouna said on Friday.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency on the International Day Against Drug Abuse, she said this there have been multiple high-profile cases related to large drug seizures.

On Tuesday, the police drug squad Ykan announced it had seized over 30kg of opiate-based substances from an alleged TikTok-based opium ring.

Five people in their 20s were remanded on Thursday for their connection with a seizure of 21kg of dried opium poppy pods.

Zarouna pointed to these significant drug seizures and connected them with worsening drug problems in Cyprus, especially among young people.

“For those of us working on the front lines, it is becoming clear that people are starting to use various substances at an increasingly younger age,” Zarouna said.

She said Kenthea now frequently sees teenagers as young as 14 or 15 entering their programmes.

Zarouna also pointed to data from urban wastewater testing that shows a 260 per cent and 258 per cent increase in amphetamine levels in Limassol and Ayia Napa, respectively, since the last measurement. Common amphetamines include Adderall and Vyvanse.

She noted similarly large increases in the level of methamphetamine as well as a 93 per cent increase in cocaine and 157 per cent increase in MDMA, also known as Molly, in Larnaca.

In addition to rising levels of drug usage, Zarouna warned about “behavioural addiction,” including gambling and online gaming.

She pointed to games that can be played by young children, “such as opening boxes that may or may not give the child a prize, and roulette-style mechanisms,” and said they are “expected to cause a chain reaction of problems.”

She also cautioned about the increasing use of e-cigarettes, especially among young girls.

Zarouna emphasised that Kenthea works to promote proactive prevention, through initiatives like the Early Warning and Monitoring System for Drugs , while also providing care to those in need.

She noted that there are identified risk factors that might make someone susceptible to addiction, including dropping out of school early, abuse and insufficient parental supervision.

Zarouna added that the organisation is working to detect and respond to new drugs, which appear frequently, quickly.

“The goal is the early detection of new psychoactive substances,” she said.