AMPHETAMINES, COCAINE USE RISE IN EU, REPORT SAYS

LISBON, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Amphetamine and cocaine use is rising in Europe,
but the rate of new AIDS cases is falling sharply due to new treatments
which delay the progression of the disease, a report on drug problems in
the European Union said on Friday.

"Amphetamines (use) is continuing to rise, and is likely to be more
significant in future than Ecstasy," said the 1998 annual report of the
Lisbon-based European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction
(EMCDDA).

It said use of Ecstasy, a drug commonly used in dance clubs, was no longer
rising in member states where it appeared first and prevalence was higher
but was still rising in other countries.

There was a modest but steady rise in cocaine use, although prevalence
remained low, the report said, while heroin use was increasing among some
synthetic drug users.

It said drug use was spreading from cities to small towns and rural areas
in some member states.

The EMCDDA said rates of new AIDS cases was strongly declining as a result
of treatments which delayed the progression of the illness, but earlier
extreme optimism about these treatments had been tempered recently.

"As a consequence, AIDS reporting is becoming more an indicator of treatment
uptake and less an indicator of HIV infection," the report said.

The report said prevalence of HIV infection was stable or declining in most
EU countries.

Checked-by: Rolf Ernst