UN, Nigeria: The number of global drug users reached 316 million in 2023, representing 6% of the world’s population aged 15 to 64, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in its 2025 World Drug Report released Thursday.
Based on data from 2023, the report highlights a steady increase in drug consumption over the past decade, up from 5.2% of the global population in 2013. Cannabis remained the most widely used drug with an estimated 244 million users, followed by opioids (61 million), amphetamines (30.7 million), cocaine (25 million), and ecstasy (21 million).
The report also underscored a sharp rise in cocaine production and consumption. Cocaine output reached a record 3,708 tons in 2023—more than a 30% increase from the previous year. Over the past decade, the number of users grew from 17 million to 25 million.
UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly warned that drug trafficking networks are becoming increasingly adaptive, exploiting global instability and targeting vulnerable communities. “We must invest in prevention and address the root causes of the drug trade at every point of the illicit supply chain,” she stated, calling for stronger cross-border collaboration, technological solutions, alternative livelihoods, and targeted legal enforcement.
The report noted that the cocaine trade is contributing to rising levels of violence, particularly in regions such as Western and Central Europe, where cocaine seizures have surpassed those in North America in recent years.
By Enoch odesola/ June 26, 2025
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