Security company Viking Security has seen an increasing number of cases this year in which minors openly sell or use not only cannabis but also harder drugs in shopping centers and entertainment venues.

"Drug use among young people is very noticeable because it affects them much more strongly than alcohol and their pattern of behaviour changes," explained Sander Nurgamaa, head of the security company's video surveillance centre.

"At one centre in Tartu, a group of young people went into the toilet and when they came out, one of them collapsed. During a subsequent check, a small bag containing traces of white powder was found inside a snus container in their possession."

Studies by the National Institute for Health Development (TAI) show that 30 percent of minors have used drugs at some point in their lives, which is a worryingly high figure.

Head of the narcotics department Katri Abel-Ollo said there are very few young people who do not consume alcohol but do use drugs.

"Often it is not a choice between one or the other. We are not actually seeing a huge increase with alcohol and tobacco either. It is still a third who experiment with and use such substances," she explained, adding, however, that the number of users has fallen over the past 12 months.

However, the Police confirmed that alcohol remains considerably more widespread than drugs.

"Young people intoxicated by alcohol are certainly caught in much greater numbers than those intoxicated by drugs. Smoking or vaping is certainly a problem, and there is also property crime and crime against persons, but our call-outs do not indicate that there has been a significant increase in drug use," said Rait Pikaro, head of the criminal bureau at the Police and Border Guard Board's Northern Prefecture.

The security company, police and TAI all said that drugs have become very easily accessible. While alcohol can be bought from a shop, criminals sell drugs online.

"There is often no longer even any person-to-person contact. Substances are handed over through hiding places and payment is made in cryptocurrency. In that sense, criminals have clearly used social media instant messaging apps to their advantage. And this certainly poses a greater threat to young people than the street dealer of the past," Pikaro added.

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