292M people worldwide used drugs in 2022: UN report

By Merve Berker

ANKARA (AA) – As many as 292 million people worldwide were drug users in 2022, up 20% in the last 10 years, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said Wednesday.

In its World Drug Report 2024, which compiled data from 2022, the agency said it was believed that one out of every 18 people worldwide aged 15-64 used drugs in 2022.

In 2022, the most used drug was cannabis with 228 million people, followed by opioids with 60 million, amphetamines with 30 million, cocaine with 23.5 million, and ecstasy with 20 million, the report said.

Emphasizing that there has been a significant rise in the number of people suffering from drug-related illnesses and waiting for treatment services, the report stated that 64 million people had various drug-related health problems in 2022.

It was stated that one in 11 of those who suffer from such problems can find treatment, while this rate drops to one in 18 in female patients, and women are much more disadvantaged in this regard.

The document pointed out that access to health services varies from geography to geography, underlining that while 49% of patients in South America have the opportunity to receive drug-related treatment, this rate decreased to 4% in Central Asia and Transcaucasia regions.

- Fatal health problems

The report further highlighted fatal health problems associated with drugs, noting that 13.9 million people injected drugs in 2022, with 1.6 million having HIV, 1.4 million having both HIV and hepatitis C, and 6.8 million having hepatitis C alone.

Injecting drug remains a significant factor in the global hepatitis C epidemic, with nearly half of those who inject drugs carrying the disease.

Liver diseases caused by hepatitis C account for more than half of drug-related deaths.

In 2019, approximately 500,000 people died from drug use, with hepatitis C-related liver diseases being a leading cause.

The UNODC noted a significant increase in global cocaine supply and demand, with coca tree cultivation covering 354,900 hectares and a record 2,757 tons of cocaine produced in 2022, a 20% increase from the previous year.

The global cocaine market remains concentrated in Western and Central Europe and the US, but is rapidly spreading in developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Southeast Europe.

Moreover, the report highlighted a sharp decline in illegal opium production in Afghanistan, the world's largest producer, with a 95% decrease in 2023 compared to 2022.

Conversely, Myanmar's production increased by 36%, it mentioned.

This decline in Afghanistan led to a 74% drop in global opium production, from 7,800 tons in 2022 to 1,990 tons in 2023.

The decrease is attributed to the Taliban's 2022 ban, prompting Afghan farmers to switch to cereal crops.

The Taliban returned to rule Afghanistan in August 2021 after more than two decades of war.

Afghanistan is also facing hunger and the risk of malnutrition and poverty, a near-collapse of the national public health system and natural disasters.

- 2,027 tons of cocaine seized in 2022

The report also detailed the amount of drugs seized by security forces in 2022.

As much as 2,027 tons of cocaine were seized in 2022, followed by 1,194 tons of cannabis resin, and 6,168 tons of cannabis seeds, according to the UNODC.

Additionally, 572 tons of opium, 165 tons of pharmaceutical opioids, 76 tons of heroin, 22 tons of morphine, and 536 tons of synthetic drugs were confiscated.

Globally, around 7 million people faced police intervention for drug offenses, 2.7 million were prosecuted, and 1.6 million were sentenced to prison.

About the criminal justice system for drug offences in 2022, the report said a total of 2.7 million people worldwide were tried for drug possession, drug use, drug trafficking or other drug offences and 1.7 million of them were convicted.