Drug boom: 316 million users worldwide – cocaine at record levels!

Drug boom: 316 million users worldwide – cocaine at record levels!

The drug problem is a topic that is becoming more and more current. According to a recent report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the number of drug users worldwide has increased to 316 million in 2023. This alarming figure represents a 28 percent increase in a decade and shows that consumption is growing faster than the global population. Particularly outstanding is the rise of the cocaine market, which is growing fastest of all drugs. Radio lip reports that illegal cocaine production reached a record high of 3,708 tons in 2023 - an increase of over a third compared to the previous year.

The number of cocaine users has increased alarmingly, from 17 million in 2013 to 25 million in 2023. This unfortunate development not only impacts the health of users, but also leads to more drug-related deaths and increased violence between rival criminal organizations. This is particularly evident in Western and Central Europe, where more cocaine is confiscated than in North America FFH notes.

Consumption trends and worrying statistics

A precise picture of the drug landscape can also be drawn based on the most frequently used drugs. Cannabis leads with 244 million users, followed by opiates with 61 million, amphetamines with 30.7 million, cocaine with 25 million and ecstasy with 21 million. While cannabis remains the most widely used drug, there is a worrying increase in trafficking of synthetic drugs such as Captagon and in conflict zones such as Syria and Ukraine.

The UN has also found that around 64 million people will be addicted to drugs in 2023 - a 13 percent increase over the last decade. In Germany, 2,227 drug-related deaths were recorded nationwide in 2023, which is twice as many as ten years ago. The new Federal Drug Commissioner Hendrik Streeck emphasized the social relevance of the topic of drugs and addiction and made it clear that cannabis consumption among young people aged 15 and 16 has also declined significantly in Europe in recent years, which can be seen as a positive trend.

Changing drug policy

International drug policy faces major challenges. The existing control regime is being questioned by various countries, and there is a growing trend towards harm reduction measures, as we can see in many Western European countries, including Austria. These approaches include, among others, the distribution of clean needles and substitution therapies to reduce diseases such as HIV/AIDS, an area that itself faces resistance in the context of the international drug control regime. bpb also reports that some countries, including Uruguay and Canada, have legalized cannabis beyond medical use, despite this violating international regulations.

Global drug prohibition remains a hotly debated topic, and current developments make a comprehensive change in international drug policy seem unlikely. Nevertheless, the discourse about cannabis and how society deals with drug use shows that there is an urgent need for action to reduce the health and social risks. The drug market remains a complex and dynamic field that requires constant attention.