Rising trend in Norway: More patients with cocaine addiction

14.05.2025 - New figures from Blå Kors (Blue Cross Norway) show that cocaine use is increasing among patients in treatment. In just two years, the proportion of patients reporting cocaine use has risen from 28 percent in 2022 to 37 percent in 2024. At the same time, a survey reveals that one in four young people perceive cocaine to be as common as alcohol at parties.

National trends indicate that cocaine is becoming increasingly available and widely used, particularly among young adults. Moreover, the share of patients who identify cocaine as their primary substance of use has more than doubled over the past two years, suggesting a growing problem of addiction related to the drug.

Anita Ellefsen and Camilla Lunde

“This is the first time we are seeing a marked increase in cocaine use among our patients. Blå Kors is deeply concerned about the development we are witnessing,” says Anita Ellefsen, Deputy Secretary General and Director of the Treatment Division at Blå Kors.“As more people use cocaine, more people are also encountering serious problems. We are closely monitoring the situation,” Ellefsen adds.

Cocaine use is known to be especially prevalent in neighborhoods where users tend to have higher incomes, longer education, and steady employment—characteristics that differ from those typically associated with users of other substances.

Cocaine use leads to higher alcohol consumption As outdoor bars reopen, the graduation celebrations are underway, and the general party culture intensifies, some social environments are experiencing increases in both alcohol intake and the use of illegal substances.

“Blå Kors’ experience also shows that cocaine use often leads to higher alcohol consumption. Many use cocaine to tolerate more alcohol. This combination can be extremely dangerous and significantly increases the risk of acute health issues and overdose,” says Camilla Lunde, Head of Prevention at Blå Kors.

Already today, one in four young people in Norway aged 16 to 19 believe that cocaine is as common as alcohol at parties. This is according to an Ipsos survey conducted for Blå Kors in 2024.

“Many young people feel pressured to use illegal drugs because their friends do. Those of us around them—parents, teachers, youth workers—need to talk with them about peer influence, group pressure, and how they can resist it,” Lunde concludes.