Responses to drug use vary widely across countries; drug trafficking usually results in longer sentences.

• Responses to the non-medical use of drugs range from no penalty to a custodial sentence. The offence rarely carries a custodial sentence among reporting countries in the Americas, while custodial sentences for this offence are more common in Asia and the few countries with data in Africa.
• Penalization is generally more severe for drug trafficking offences than for drug possession and use, albeit based on limited information. About 27 per cent of custodial sentences for trafficking offences are for five years or longer, compared with 15 per cent for possession and use offences.