Drug use & health consequences>>Drug use

Global extent of drug use

Global drug use continues to increase, driven by rising prevalence of use and population growth.

  • An estimated 331 million people used a drug in the past 12 months in 2024, a 34 per cent increase since 2014 (with prevalence of use increasing by 20 per cent).
  • Men account for the majority of users (249 million vs 82 million women), with significantly higher prevalence among men (9 per cent) than women (3 per cent) among people aged 15-64.
  • Regional differences are significant: Asia has a similar number of people who use drugs as the Americas, but a markedly lower annual prevalence of use.
  • In 2024, approximately 6 per cent of people aged 15–64 worldwide used a drug in the past 12 months and 1.2 per cent had a drug use disorder globally.