The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said global cocaine production reached a new record in 2023, with seizures, users and deaths rising.
The report, released on Thursday, said that about 25 million people worldwide used the drug in 2023, up from 17 million in 2013.
The report found that cocaine has become the fastest-growing illicit drug market worldwide. Illicit production skyrocketed to an estimated 3,708 tonnes in 2023 – about 34% more than in 2022. This increase was mainly due to increased coca cultivation and higher yields in Colombia.
The report said that North America, Western and Central Europe and South America continued to have the highest consumption. For the fifth consecutive year, the number of cocaine seizures in Western and Central Europe exceeded those in North America. Global cocaine seizures increased by 68% between 2019 and 2023.
Drug use remains a major problem, according to the report. In 2023, a total of 316 million people, excluding alcohol and tobacco, used illicit substances. This figure represents 6% of the global population aged 15 to 64, up from 5.2% in 2013.
Drug use disorders have a major impact on global health, leading to nearly half a million deaths and 28 million healthy years of life lost worldwide each year. The report said that in 2023, only one in 12 people with such disorders received treatment.
Commenting on the findings, UNODC Executive Director Ghada Wali called for greater emphasis on prevention, cross-border cooperation and judicial systems to dismantle criminal networks.