The 2026 World Drug Report, released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), revealed that drug abuse rates continue to rise globally, in conjunction with the increasing spread of synthetic drugs, which have become a growing threat to public health and security.
And the report, published on the occasion of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, showed that the number of drug users around the world reached about 331 million people in 2024, equivalent to 6.2% of the population aged 15-64, compared to 5.2% in 2014.
And the report pointed out that cannabis remained the most used narcotic substance by about 256 million users, followed by opioids by 63 million, then amphetamines by 32 million, cocaine by 25 million, and ecstasy by 21 million.
And drug trafficking networks are increasingly turning to the production and smuggling of synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl and nitazines, along with other emerging substances, which could reshape global opioid markets and increase health risks, the report warned.
He added that smuggling networks are expanding their activities through the use of modern technologies, the adoption of new production methods, and the opening of new routes for the distribution of synthetic drugs.
And the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) called for strengthening international cooperation, expanding information exchange, combating organized crime, intensifying prevention and treatment efforts, as well as providing sustainable livelihoods for communities most vulnerable to the drug phenomenon.
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