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Radio France Internationale
Radio France Internationale
Environment
RFI

Cocaine residues in waterways linked to disrupted salmon behaviour, study shows

Salmon exposed to cocaine in the water swim longer distances, according to an Australian and Swedish study published on 20 April, 2026. © Robert F. Bukaty/AP

Salmon exposed to cocaine in the water swim longer distances, an Australian and Swedish study published this week shows. Recreational drugs and medicines entering natural environments via wastewater are a growing threat to biodiversity, disrupting the behaviour of many animals.

The study, published on 20 April in the Current Biology journal, reveals that salmon exposed to cocaine in the water swim longer distances than those that have not been exposed.

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