Croats strict on drugs; Croatia face Nations League playoff
A new EU-wide survey shows Croatia among strictest on drug prohibition, while the national football team likely faces playoff after Serbia's loss to Germany.
Illustration: AI-generated image
Croats are among the strictest in the European Union when it comes to recreational drug use, according to a new survey by the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) and the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ). Around 72 percent of Croatian respondents support banning cocaine and 71 percent support banning ecstasy, both 12 percentage points above the EU average. For cannabis, 40 percent favour prohibition, 38 percent support legal regulation, and 14 percent think it should be available without restrictions.
The survey, conducted from 24 June to 16 July this year across 36 countries with 95,883 respondents (3,019 in Croatia), also found that 65 percent of Croats see drug use as a serious problem in their community, compared to the EU average of 60 percent. A particular concern is the involvement of children and young people in the drug trade, highlighted by 39 percent of Croatian respondents versus 30 percent EU-wide.
In football, Croatia's national team is now almost certain to face a playoff to remain in the top tier of the Nations League after Germany beat Serbia 3–1 away on Friday. Even if Croatia beat Czech Republic on Sunday at Opus Arena in Osijek, they cannot finish among the two best third-placed teams in League A because Belgium and Germany already have better records. Should Croatia finish third, they will play a two-legged playoff in March 2027 against a runner-up from League B for a place in League A. A defeat to Czech Republic could see Croatia finish fourth and either enter the playoffs or be relegated automatically, depending on other results.
