UN: 331 million people used drugs in 2024 as criminal markets change at a rapid pace

During 2024, around 331 million people worldwide, or 6.2% of the global population aged 15-64, used at least one type of drug.

This figure represents a marked increase compared with 2014, when the rate of use was 5.2%. These data are included in the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s World Drug Report 2026, which raises the alarm that drug markets at the global level are undergoing rapid transformations.

The report notes that criminal organizations are exploiting technological developments, conflicts and global instability to produce new synthetic drugs, create new trafficking corridors and enter new markets. According to the report, drugs have become more potent and more dangerous than before.

The consequences of this phenomenon translate into millions of premature deaths, criminal networks that distort economies, and increased insecurity and violence.

According to the report, cannabis remains the most widely used substance in the world, with 256 million users. It is followed by opioids with 63 million, amphetamines with 32 million, cocaine with 25 million and ecstasy with 21 million users. Another major concern remains the rise of synthetic drugs.

In 2024, 755 new psychoactive substances were detected, while 118 of them were reported for the first time. According to the report, this shows the speed with which illegal producers are managing to evade controls and legislation.

The ban on opium cultivation in Afghanistan has led to a significant decline in heroin production, while traffickers are increasingly turning to synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, nitazenes and other highly potent substances.

The report also stresses that drug use remains closely linked to rising crime, violence, poverty, mental health problems and social exclusion.