Expert turns to sewage for city's drug habits

Adana, a city that has been erroneously viewed as the crime capital of Turkey thanks to urban legends, is under a different spotlight nowadays. Dr. Nebile Dağlıoğlu, a forensics expert from the southern city's Çukurova University, has been analyzing the city's wastewater for the past nine months to examine the prevalence of drug use in Adana. The researcher hopes to gain insight into the drug habits of people by applying the practice that was used in several European countries and Australia to Adana.

Dağlıoğlu says she analyzes samples monthly and weekly and plans to conclude the study in September. She says Adana ranks high in prevalence of drug use among other cities. So far, the samples she collected show a higher rate of drug use on the weekends and a change in habits between different districts. "We see cocaine use is less prevalent in Yüreğir and higher in Seyhan. Drug use is also higher when wastewater from places such as nightclubs are analyzed," she said.