Global illicit opium production remained more than 70 per cent below 2022 levels in 2025Global illicit opium production remained at lower levels in 2025 at 2,100 tons, more than 70 per cent below 2022 (mainly due to Afghanistan’s opium ban) and almost 80 per cent below its 2017 peak.A doubling of…
The global NPS market continues to evolve rapidly, with new substances entering the market and shifting preferences.By 2025, the total number of NPS identified by Member States since 2005 grew close to 1,500, which – despite the scheduling of new substances in 2025 – is more than four times the…
Cannabis continues to be the most widespread drug cultivated worldwide across all regions, cultivated in at least 155 countries (covering some 96 per cent of the global population). Opium poppy cultivation and the cultivation of the coca bush are far less widespread. Illicit opium…
The illicit ketamine market has expanded beyond Asia, with rising use and emerging harms in new regions.Once concentrated in East and South-East Asia, several countries with time-series data (for example, the United Kingdom, Australia or the United States) have recorded an increase in the use of…
Countries differ in how they legislate to regulate or control drug use, though criminalization is common for key activities.About 38 per cent of reporting countries classify personal drug use as a criminal offence, with this approach most common in Africa and Asia. By contrast, related activities…
Cannabis use remains widespread globally, with steady long-term growth.Prevalence of past-year cannabis use is highest in North America, Australia and New Zealand, and West and Central Africa, while North America and South Asia have the highest number of people who use cannabis.Cannabis use has…
Cocaine use and related harms have increased globally over the past two decades, despite recent disruptions.Approximately 25 million people worldwide are estimated to have used cocaine in 2024 (or 0.47 per cent of the population aged 15-64), with lower estimated use among women (0.24 per cent) than…
Global methamphetamine seizures reached another record high in 2024, with the highest growth rates reported by emerging markets.East and South-East Asia and North America continue to account for the largest methamphetamine seizures globally, although seizures declined in North America while…
Methamphetamine traffickers continue adapting to enforcement and precursor controlsDespite a 3-fold increase in global methamphetamine seizures between 2014 and 2024, reported quantities of intercepted methamphetamine precursors (-85 per cent) and the number of dismantled methamphetamine…
Most methamphetamine trafficking remains intra-regional, although some inter-regional trafficking has also been detected in recent years.The largest markets for methamphetamine – and most intra-regional trafficking – remain in East and South-East Asia and North America, although trafficking has…
Overall, of the four major modes of transport used for drug trafficking – by land, water, air and mail (including courier services) – land or maritime routes (depending on the specific drug) dominate in terms of volume.Around 2024, there appeared to be an increased preference for smaller shipments…
Seven substances dominate the global availability of opioids under international control for medical consumption.Expressed in S-DDDs (defined daily doses for statistical purposes), methadone, followed by hydrocodone, fentanyl, buprenorphine, oxycodone, codeine (including preparations) and morphine…
