Global drug use soared to 316 million in 2023, with cannabis and cocaine leading the rise.
UN says traffickers exploit crises as cocaine production hits record high, fueling violence.
The number of drug users around the world surged to 316 million in 2023, accounting for roughly six percent of the global population aged 15 to 64, a new United Nations report has revealed.
The data, published in the 2025 World Drug Report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna, reflects a continuing rise in drug use globally. Just a decade earlier, in 2013, the figure stood at 5.2 percent of the same age group.
Cannabis remained the most commonly used drug, with an estimated 244 million users worldwide. It was followed by opioids at 61 million users, amphetamines with 30.7 million, cocaine with 25 million, and ecstasy with 21 million.
In her remarks accompanying the report, UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly highlighted the adaptability of criminal organizations, especially in the face of global instability. “This edition of the World Drug Report shows that organized drug trafficking groups continue to adapt, exploit global crises, and target vulnerable populations,” she said.
Waly called for stronger and more integrated responses to drug-related challenges. “We must invest in prevention and address the root causes of the drug trade at every point of the illicit supply chain. And we must strengthen responses by leveraging technology, strengthening cross-border cooperation, providing alternative livelihoods, and taking judicial action that targets key actors driving these networks,” she added.
Among all substances tracked in the report, cocaine showed the most dramatic growth. Illicit production of the drug jumped by over 35 percent in a single year, reaching a record high of 3,708 tons in 2023.
The number of people using cocaine rose significantly over the past decade, increasing from 17 million in 2013 to 25 million in 2023. UNODC experts warned that this sharp rise is contributing to more drug-related deaths and intensifying violence among criminal groups engaged in trafficking.
The report also noted that Western and Central Europe have seen growing levels of cocaine seizures, surpassing those recorded in North America over the past several years. This, according to the UN, underscores the expanding presence of the cocaine trade beyond traditional markets.
