The number of people who used drugs worldwide reached 316 million in 2023, representing 6% of the global population aged 15 to 64, according to the latest World Drug Report released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
This marks a significant increase from a decade ago when drug use was at 5.2% in 2013.
The report, which was presented in Vienna on Thursday, shows that cannabis remains the most widely consumed substance, with approximately 244 million users. It is followed by opioids (61 million users), amphetamines (30.7 million), cocaine (25 million), and ecstasy (21 million).
The UNODC warned that drug trafficking networks continue to evolve and exploit global vulnerabilities.
“This edition of the World Drug Report shows that organised drug trafficking groups continue to adapt, exploit global crises, and target vulnerable populations,” said Ghada Waly, Executive Director of UNODC.
She emphasized the need for comprehensive strategies to combat the global drug crisis: “We must invest in prevention and address the root causes of the drug trade at every point of the illicit supply chain. And we must strengthen responses by leveraging technology, strengthening cross-border cooperation, providing alternative livelihoods, and taking judicial action that targets key actors driving these networks.”
Among all the substances, the cocaine market is experiencing the fastest growth. Cocaine production reached a record 3,708 tons in 2023, rising more than a third compared to the previous year. The number of cocaine users also surged—from 17 million in 2013 to 25 million in 2023.
UNODC experts cautioned that the cocaine boom is fuelling not only an increase in drug-related fatalities but also heightened violence among competing criminal syndicates involved in trafficking.
“These violent conflicts are becoming more visible in regions like Western and Central Europe, where authorities have been seizing more cocaine than even North America in recent years,” the report noted.