Age profiles of people in drug-related treatment vary widely across regions and subregions.Limited data suggest wide regional differences in the age distribution of people in treatment for drug use disorders.Globally, two main patterns emerge: in Central Asia and Transcaucasia, Western and Central…
Cannabis use has risen over the past 20 years in South and Central America but is showing signs of stabilizationSouth and Central America account for around 30 per cent of global cannabis herb seizures quantity. Over the past 20 years, use among the general population aged 15-64 has increased –…
In the United States and in Canada use of cocaine declined among young people until 2024, but not among the general population. Men continue to account for higher levels of use and harms than women, with cocaine-related overdose deaths rising much more sharply for men over the past decade –…
Over the past decade, the prevalence of cocaine use has remained relatively stable in some countries of South America while increasing in others. However, the most recent data from countries where available show signs of stabilization.A wide variety of cocaine products are used in the region,…
The use of amphetamines has distinct regional patterns; past-year use is generally higher among men (0.85 per cent) than women (0.34 per cent) globally.The largest markets for ATS, mainly methamphetamine, remain East and South-East Asia and North America. The highest past-year use of amphetamines…
More countries perceived an increase in drug-related deaths in 2024 than a decrease.Toxicological findings reported by 66 countries suggest that opioids are by far the most common substance involved in direct drug-related deaths, with cocaine now ranking second after overtaking (albeit by a small…
Drug mixtures present on the drugs market may cause additional harms alongside those traditionally observed, due to issues such as user-unknown content, varying contents, the presence of harmful ingredients, or possible drug interactions, to name a few.New drug mixtures such as "tuci" pink cocaine…
Treatment coverage remains low globally, with strong regional and drug-specific differences.Only a small proportion of people with drug use disorders receive treatment, with coverage highest in Europe and lowest in Africa and Asia. Across all regions, the estimated treatment coverage is lower for…
The limited data available suggest that pathways into drug-related treatment and the types of treatment vary between regionsData from 61 countries suggest that pathways of referral vary by (sub)region: for example, in Africa, referral by friends and family or self-referral is most common, while in…
Global availability, coverage and accessibility of drug-related treatment varies across intervention types.Not all types of pharmacological treatment, psychosocial interventions and rehabilitation and aftercare are available in all countries. Opioid agonist maintenance therapy and opioid antagonist…
Data on specific population groups remain limited.The available information suggests higher levels of drug use, drug use disorders and injecting drug use among sex workers, people experiencing homelessness and those with severe mental illness compared with the general population, while these tend…
Drug use patterns vary significantly by age, with adolescents showing use levels comparable to or higher than the general population, for most substances.Globally, the use of amphetamines, cocaine and "ecstasy" is similar or higher among adolescents aged 15-16 than among the general population aged…
