UK pilot program to test cocaine residue in wastewater expands

Wastewater testing is giving researchers real-time snapshots of cocaine consumption across cities and regions.

A pilot program measuring cocaine metabolites in wastewater is expanding to more cities across the United Kingdom.

Public health officials say the data helps identify consumption hotspots and measure the impact of enforcement and prevention campaigns.

Researchers caution that wastewater data cannot distinguish between occasional and heavy use, so it must be combined with other epidemiological sources.

The method is already used in several European countries and is gaining traction as a complement to traditional surveys and hospital data.