Illegal drugs are used by some 200 million people worldwide and represent a retail market of about $320-billion, making narcotics use a "monster" of a problem to combat, the UN said on Wednesday in its 2005 World Drug Report.
"This is not a small enemy against which we struggle. It is a monster," Antonio Maria Costa, the executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, said in the annual report.
Market bigger than most countries GDPs
The $320-billion retail market is "larger than the individual gross domestic products (GDPs) of nearly 90 percent of the countries of the world," Costa said, adding that there were "few dimensions of human security that are not affected in some way by the illicit drug market."
The number of drug addicts rose by eight percent in one year, owing mainly to the rising popularity of cannabis, the report said.
Cannabis most widely used
Cannabis is the most widely produced, trafficked and consumed narcotic worldwide with some 160 million users in 2003, up by 10 million from the previous year.
Production of the drug rose sharply from 2002 to 2003, to 40 000 tons, and "all indicators... suggest that the market at the global level is expanding further".
Five percent of the world's population, or 200 million people, aged 15 to 64 has used narcotics at least once in the past 12 months. That figure is 15 million higher than last year's estimate, the report said.
Drug consumption spreading
Statistical analysis suggests that overall drug consumption continues to spread at the global level.
But while more countries report a rise in drug use than a decline, the proportions "have shifted in recent years in a slightly more positive direction".
In 2003, 44 percent of countries reported rising drug use, compared to 53 percent in 2000. Those reporting declines rose from 21 percent in 2000 to 25 percent in 2003.
Amphetamine-type stimulants, including ecstasy, were used by 34 million people in 2003, down from 38 million the previous year, a drop attributed to the dismantling of a number of large laboratories in Thailand in 2002 and a decline in the use of ecstasy in the United States.
Opiate, cocaine use rising
However, opiate and cocaine use rose slightly to 16 million and 14 million people respectively.
The biggest problem worldwide from a health perspective continues to be opiates (opium, heroin and morphine), followed by cocaine. For most of Europe and Asia, opiates account for 62 percent of all treatment demands in 2003.
Drug treatment
In South America, drug treatment demand is mainly linked to cocaine abuse, representing 59 percent. In Africa, most treatments are related to cannabis use.
The study also showed that while cocaine abuse treatment has declined in North America, cannabis and amphetamine treatment has risen.
Meanwhile, world production of opium rose slightly in 2004 to 4850 tons, despite a drop in Laos and Myanmar.
The rise was mainly due to an increase in production in Afghanistan, which accounts for 87 percent of the world market three years after the fall of the Taliban regime, which had almost wiped out production.
On an optimistic note, the report said that opium production in Southeast Asia was now 78 percent lower than it was in 1996.
"If the declines witnessed over the last few years are sustained, it would not be too far outside the realm of possibility that Southeast Asia could become virtually free of illicit cultivation over the next few years."
Cocaine production stable
However, for cocaine, global production remained stable in 2004 at 687 tonnes, after a trend towards lower production in recent years that has led to a 26 percent drop since 1999.
Coca cultivation areas rose in both Bolivia and Peru, the report said.
"This is a worrying loss of momentum for both countries, which had already made significant progress to curb coca production," it said, urging the international community to continue to support alternative livelihoods programmes to lure producers away from the trade.
Drug seizures remained at a stable level in 2003, with cannabis accounting for more than half of all drugs seized and opiates one quarter
here
"This is not a small enemy against which we struggle. It is a monster," Antonio Maria Costa, the executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, said in the annual report.
Market bigger than most countries GDPs
The $320-billion retail market is "larger than the individual gross domestic products (GDPs) of nearly 90 percent of the countries of the world," Costa said, adding that there were "few dimensions of human security that are not affected in some way by the illicit drug market."
The number of drug addicts rose by eight percent in one year, owing mainly to the rising popularity of cannabis, the report said.
Cannabis most widely used
Cannabis is the most widely produced, trafficked and consumed narcotic worldwide with some 160 million users in 2003, up by 10 million from the previous year.
Production of the drug rose sharply from 2002 to 2003, to 40 000 tons, and "all indicators... suggest that the market at the global level is expanding further".
Five percent of the world's population, or 200 million people, aged 15 to 64 has used narcotics at least once in the past 12 months. That figure is 15 million higher than last year's estimate, the report said.
Drug consumption spreading
Statistical analysis suggests that overall drug consumption continues to spread at the global level.
But while more countries report a rise in drug use than a decline, the proportions "have shifted in recent years in a slightly more positive direction".
In 2003, 44 percent of countries reported rising drug use, compared to 53 percent in 2000. Those reporting declines rose from 21 percent in 2000 to 25 percent in 2003.
Amphetamine-type stimulants, including ecstasy, were used by 34 million people in 2003, down from 38 million the previous year, a drop attributed to the dismantling of a number of large laboratories in Thailand in 2002 and a decline in the use of ecstasy in the United States.
Opiate, cocaine use rising
However, opiate and cocaine use rose slightly to 16 million and 14 million people respectively.
The biggest problem worldwide from a health perspective continues to be opiates (opium, heroin and morphine), followed by cocaine. For most of Europe and Asia, opiates account for 62 percent of all treatment demands in 2003.
Drug treatment
In South America, drug treatment demand is mainly linked to cocaine abuse, representing 59 percent. In Africa, most treatments are related to cannabis use.
The study also showed that while cocaine abuse treatment has declined in North America, cannabis and amphetamine treatment has risen.
Meanwhile, world production of opium rose slightly in 2004 to 4850 tons, despite a drop in Laos and Myanmar.
The rise was mainly due to an increase in production in Afghanistan, which accounts for 87 percent of the world market three years after the fall of the Taliban regime, which had almost wiped out production.
On an optimistic note, the report said that opium production in Southeast Asia was now 78 percent lower than it was in 1996.
"If the declines witnessed over the last few years are sustained, it would not be too far outside the realm of possibility that Southeast Asia could become virtually free of illicit cultivation over the next few years."
Cocaine production stable
However, for cocaine, global production remained stable in 2004 at 687 tonnes, after a trend towards lower production in recent years that has led to a 26 percent drop since 1999.
Coca cultivation areas rose in both Bolivia and Peru, the report said.
"This is a worrying loss of momentum for both countries, which had already made significant progress to curb coca production," it said, urging the international community to continue to support alternative livelihoods programmes to lure producers away from the trade.
Drug seizures remained at a stable level in 2003, with cannabis accounting for more than half of all drugs seized and opiates one quarter
here
