Trending Now - Cocaine Exposure Doubles Swimming Distance in Salmon, Study Finds

WHO:

[06:33 EDT] - CBS News - Researchers from Griffith University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences conducted the study.

[06:33 EDT] - CBS News - Marcus Michelangeli is a co-author of the study and is affiliated with Griffith University's Australian Rivers Institute.

[06:33 EDT] - CBS News - Michael Bertram is an associate professor at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.

[06:33 EDT] - CBS News - Natascha Wosnick is the lead author of a separate study on sharks.

WHAT:

[06:33 EDT] - CBS News - Salmon exposed to cocaine swam 1.9 times farther per week than control salmon not exposed to the drug.

[06:33 EDT] - CBS News - Salmon exposed to benzoylecgonine swam 7.6 miles farther than their unexposed counterparts.

[06:33 EDT] - CBS News - An estimated 25 million people used cocaine worldwide in 2023, according to the U.N.

[06:33 EDT] - CBS News - A separate study found that sharks in the Bahamas are consuming substances including caffeine, painkillers, and cocaine.

WHERE:

[06:33 EDT] - CBS News - The study was conducted in Lake Vattern, Sweden.

[06:33 EDT] - CBS News - The separate study on sharks was conducted in the Bahamas and off the coast of Brazil.

WHEN:

[06:33 EDT] - CBS News - The study was released on April 22nd, 2026.

[06:33 EDT] - CBS News - A separate study was released in March 2026, and another study reported findings in 2024.

WHY:

[06:33 EDT] - CBS News - Researchers warned that pollution of waterways by drugs poses a major and escalating risk to biodiversity.

[06:33 EDT] - CBS News - The study highlights the need for improving wastewater treatment and monitoring due to the environmental challenges posed by drug presence.

HOW:

[06:33 EDT] - CBS News - Researchers took 105 wild Atlantic salmon and exposed them to cocaine and benzoylecgonine, tracking their movements afterward.

(UPDATED April 22, 2026 23:16 UTC)

A new study released on Wednesday, reveals that salmon exposed to cocaine swam nearly two times farther per week than those not exposed, while those exposed to benzoylecgonine swam an impressive 7.6 miles farther. Conducted by researchers from Griffith University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Lake Vattern, Sweden, the study highlights the alarming impact of drug pollution on aquatic life and the urgent need for improved wastewater treatment. In a related study released in March 20th26, researchers found that sharks in the Bahamas are also consuming substances like caffeine and painkillers, underscoring the escalating risk to biodiversity from drug contamination in our waterways.