Drug use hits new high level

Study shows number of users has risen but authorities see reason for optimism

The number of individuals injecting illegal drugs worldwide is much higher than previously estimated, according to a United Nations study.

The latest World Drug Report from the Vienna-based United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, or UNODC, reveals an 18-percent higher rate of stimulant injection than previously thought.

The study found that close to 300 million people used illegal drugs in 2021, indicating a 23-percent increase since 2011, and it noted synthetic substances, such as fentanyl and methamphetamine, dominated the illegal market.

Cannabis was the most commonly used addictive substance, with opiates, amphetamines, cocaine, and ecstasy following in order of prevalence.

As a result, there are almost 40 million cases of individuals experiencing drug use disorders, the study found.

This figure is a huge 45-percent increase over the past decade. Just one in five affected people is currently receiving treatment, the report said.

But reason for optimism remains, said Angela Me, research and trend analysis chief at the UNODC.

"We've seen actually with the COVID pandemic, many countries have adopted innovative ways in order to reach the drug users with the services. And so this innovation now proves to be really increasing also the number of people that can be reached and even new patients are coming to treatment. So that gives a sign of hope," Me explained.

Demand and supply of cocaine are flourishing globally, the report said, noting that coca bush cultivation and total cocaine production were at record highs in 2021. The global number of cocaine users, estimated at 22 million in 2021, is growing steadily, it said.

"The world is currently experiencing a prolonged surge in both supply and demand of cocaine, which is now being felt across the globe and is likely to spur the development of new markets beyond the traditional confines," the UNODC report said.

"Although the global cocaine market continues to be concentrated in the Americas and in Western and Central Europe (with very high prevalence also in Australia), in relative terms it appears that the fastest growth, albeit building on very low initial levels, is occurring in developing markets found in Africa, Asia and southeastern Europe," it said.

Although nearly 90 percent of global methamphetamine seizures occurred in two regions, East and Southeast Asia and North America, the report suggests that these markets have stabilized at a high level. Meanwhile, trafficking has experienced an uptick in other areas, including the Middle East and West Africa, reported Reuters news agency.

The report indicated that the drug trade in Afghanistan is undergoing a shift, as shown by the methamphetamine production and related seizures within the country. Notably, Afghanistan is responsible for producing 80 percent of the world's illegal opium poppy, a key ingredient in heroin manufacturing.