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…
While a decade ago most ketamine was trafficked across South and East and South-East Asia, such trafficking has diversified to other subregions including in Asia, Europe, the Americas and Africa.Ketamine seizures have increased over the last two decades and increased sharply between 2018 and 2022…
In the last decade, the illicit market of ketamine has expanded outside of East and South-East Asia where it was previously concentrated.In mid to late 2010s, several countries with time-series data (for example, the United Kingdom, Australia, or the general population of the United States) have…
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…
Myanmar is now the world’s largest opium producer, followed by Afghanistan, Mexico and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.In Myanmar, opium production continues to be concentrated in the eastern parts of the country, notably in Shan State and in Kachin. This pattern has not changed over the last…
Global methamphetamine seizures reached another record high in 2024, with the highest growth rates reported by so-called 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…
As intensive methamphetamine use has increased in both Australia and New Zealand, associated health harms have also increased.In Australia, hospitalizations and the number of people in drug-related treatment related to methamphetamine use have increased over the long-term, although recent data…
Methamphetamine-related harms show mixed trends across North America.In Mexico, methamphetamine harms have increased in recent years, reflected in a growing number of people entering drug-related treatment for the substance – though recent data suggest possible signs of stabilization.In contrast,…
There continue to be challenges in the interdiction and reporting of laboratories and precursors as traffickers continue to shift precursors and production locations to avoid interceptionsfor the manufacture of methamphetamine in Europe seems to be largely limited to the Kingdom of the Netherlands…
Seizures of methamphetamine in Asia continue to rise, even as the reported number of dismantled methamphetamine laboratories declines.Methamphetamine seizures in Asia reached a record high in 2024, while the number of dismantled (and reported) methamphetamine laboratories declined to its lowest…
