Science at UM [S05-ep09]: Cocaine: When Use Gets Out of Hand
This week on *A l’UM la science*, Hélène Donnadieu, an addiction specialist at Montpellier University Hospital, discusses the findings of the expert report commissioned by the Mildeca on cocaine use in France. Marianne Dupré Gabireau introduces us to the upcoming science bar to be held on February 19. A program broadcast every Wednesday on Divergence.
The movies have given it its scandalous image: Uma Thurman and her lines longer than the Trans-Siberian Railway in *Pulp Fiction*, Al Pacino, aka Tony Montana, in a mountain of powder, Johnny Depp as the king of gonzo in *Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas*… If you’re a movie buff, you’ve figured out that we’re talking about cocaine here. But behind the pseudo-glamour or pseudo-fun of the big screen lies a very different reality. That of addiction, of precariousness, of mental health issues, and finally, of violence—toward oneself and sometimes toward others.
However, the use of this drug—which until recently was limited to certain elite circles or, conversely, highly marginalized groups—is becoming increasingly common. According to the French Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT), 1.1 million French people have already tried cocaine, nearly twice as many as in 2017.
In response to this phenomenon, and to better target prevention efforts,Inserm has recently conducted a collaborative review providing an overview of cocaine use in France. The report was commissioned by the Interministerial Mission for the Fight Against Drugs and Addictive Behaviors (Mildeca) and the Ministry of Health. Experts in epidemiology, sociology, and economics, as well as in addiction medicine, prevention, and harm reduction, collaborated to conduct this review and examine more than 2,600 references.
Among them is Hélène Donnadieu, an addiction specialist at Montpellier University Hospital and a professor at the Faculty of Medicine; she is our guest on *A l’UM la science*.
See also:
Our guest for the final three minutes is Marianne Dupré Gabireau, head of science outreach at UM, who is here to tell us about the upcoming Science Bar. It will take place on February 19 at 7:30 p.m. at Le Dôme, and the topic will be invasive species.
At UM Science, you’ve got the program—let’s get started!
Co-production: Divergence FM / University of Montpellier
Host: Lucie Lecherbonnier
Interview: Lucie Lecherbonnier / Aline Périault
Production: Alice Rollet
Tune in to the show “A l’UM la science” on Divergence FM 93.9
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