Despite Widespread Legislation, Global Drug Users Hit 316 million in 2023 – UN

Despite widespread legislation and global criminalisation of drug use over the years, global drug users hit an alarming high in 2023 with a figure of 316 million people, according to the World Drug Report 2025 released by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

According to the report, 316 million people used a drug (excluding alcohol and tobacco) in 2023, representing 6% of the global population aged between 15 and 64, compared to 5.2% of the population in 2013.

Report Breakdown

Further breakdown of the report revealed 244 million people used cannabis globally, followed by opioids (61 million), amphetamines (30.7 million), cocaine (25 million), and ecstasy (21 million).

According to the report, illegal production of cocaine skyrocketed to 3,708 tons in 2023, nearly 34 per cent more than in 2022, while global cocaine seizures reached a record high at 2,275 tons, a 68 per cent rise over 2019-2023.

The report also revealed that drug use caused nearly half a million deaths and 28 million healthy years of life lost due to disability and premature deaths (DALYs) in 2021.

Cocaine and the synthetic drug market has also continued to expand globally, dominated by Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) like methamphetamine and amphetamine (including “captagon”) while llicit drug trade continues to generate hundreds of billions of dollars per year as criminal groups find innovative ways to boost production, chemically conceal their drugs, and using technology to conceal communications and increase distribution despite a global crackdown.

Legislative Efforts Not Yielding Enough Fruits

Globally, legislation against drug use ranges from prohibition to the criminalization of the possession, use, and trafficking of narcotics such as heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamines.

In Asia, countries like Singapore, Indonesia, and China impose the death penalty for drug trafficking, the same as Middle Eastern nations such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, which impose long prison terms or capital punishment for drug offenses. Many African countries, including Nigeria, also maintain strict laws against drug use.

However, a growing number of countries are embracing decriminalization, with Portugal having decriminalized all drugs for personal use in 2001, opting instead for treatment and rehabilitation over punishments. Countries like the Czech Republic, Canada, Uruguay, and some parts of Australia have also decriminalized certain substances, particularly cannabis, in addition to over 20 U.S. states that have legalized recreational marijuana.

Internationally, most countries align their drug laws with the United Nations’ Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, which promotes a standardized approach to prohibition. However, this does not seem to have deterred drug users, judging from the findings of the World Drug Report 2025.

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