Cocaine and crack on the rise in Guadeloupe: the OFDT's first assessment
The OFDT publishes its first survey on drugs in Guadeloupe, revealing growing availability of cocaine and crack against a backdrop of an overburdened healthcare system.
First mapping of drug use in Guadeloupe
The French Observatory for Drugs and Addictive Trends (OFDT) released on Friday 26 June the results of its 2025 survey on psychoactive substances in Guadeloupe, reports guadeloupe.franceantilles.fr. This is the first comprehensive mapping of illicit drug use in the archipelago, carried out on the basis of interviews conducted with users, healthcare and social sector professionals, and members of law enforcement.
A transit territory that has become a local market
Guadeloupe occupies a strategic position on the routes of international cocaine trafficking, situated between South American producing countries and the European market. Whilst the majority of shipments continue onwards to Europe, a portion supplies the local market, where the product is accessible at a relatively low price.
The survey identifies several networks composed of Guadeloupeans, operating in connection with members of Dominican, Haitian and Venezuelan diasporas, who participate in the importation of cocaine on behalf of South American criminal organisations.
Cocaine in festive contexts, crack highly visible in public spaces
Cocaine in powder form is primarily consumed in festive contexts or by certain professionals seeking to maintain high work rates. Its use remains discreet in public spaces.
Crack, by contrast, is highly present. Introduced to Guadeloupe as early as the 1980s, it is benefiting today from the abundance of cocaine from which it is derived. Dealers adapt their prices to the limited resources of their customers, sometimes even extending credit to them. The study furthermore describes concerning situations of control: some traffickers retain the bank cards or social security benefits of their consumers.
Cannabis, the most normalised illicit substance
Cannabis remains the most socially accepted illicit drug in the archipelago. Produced locally or imported from neighbouring islands, it is sold both at physical points of sale and through social networks and digital applications. The users interviewed, with varied profiles, almost unanimously believe that cannabis is less dangerous than other psychoactive substances, despite the risks associated with regular consumption.
A care system under pressure
The OFDT points to the structural limitations of the addiction care system in Guadeloupe: shortage of healthcare professionals, insufficient number of beds, and difficulties in patient follow-up. Risk reduction facilities also appear under-resourced, particularly for crack users.
The upcoming opening of a second Reception and Harm Reduction Support Centre for Drug Users (CAARUD), in the Basse-Terre sector, should partially improve the situation. The OFDT nevertheless considers this development insufficient to meet all the needs of a territory where problems related to addictions remain particularly pronounced.
Source: Google News GP — Crime