Trace amounts of marijuana and cocaine have been measured in the air of eight Roman cities. (Reuters)The answer to the question "Did you inhale?" may be yes, even if you're only guilty of breathing the air in Rome. That's because a new study says there are trace amounts of cocaine and marijuana in the air of eight Italian cities.
Researchers at Italy's Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research published their findings, which authorities say will be used to help measure the habits of Italian citizens.
The eight Italian cities where psychoactive drugs were detected in the air were Bologna, Florence, Milan, Naples, Palermo, Rome, Turin and Verona.
But before you break out a gas mask or book a plane ticket, it should be noted that the amounts of drugs in the air are small enough that they won't have a mind-altering effect on people breathing the Roman air, even if the amounts are large enough to be measured.
The study results back up a similar test in 2006, which found trace amounts of cocaine in Rome's air.
There were also other legal substances measured in the air, including caffeine and nicotine.
Some of the study's results are already creating a buzz: Turin was rated as having the highest drug concentration in the air, while Palermo had the least. And Florence had the highest concentration of marijuana. The study also found that drug concentrations change throughout the year, with marijuana and caffeine levels spiking during the winter months.
In August, a "huge" marijuana farm was found beneath a Mussolini-era tunnel in Rome.