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Study Finds Caffeine, Cocaine and Painkillers in Sharks off the Bahamas

Researchers point to wastewater from booming tourism as the likely source.

Overview

  • An international team sampled 85 sharks near Eleuthera and found residues in 28, with caffeine most common and cocaine in two.
  • The sample covered lemon, tiger, small blacktip, Caribbean reef and Atlantic nurse sharks caught near a popular dive area by a derelict fish farm.
  • The authors cite untreated sewage from cruise ships and local tourism discharges as plausible contamination routes.
  • Researchers say the chemicals could harm marine life and reach people through seafood or contact with polluted water.
  • The study urges wider monitoring to gauge long-term effects as visitor numbers to the Bahamas hit 12.5 million in 2025, straining wastewater systems.