275 Million People Used Drugs Worldwide In 2020: UN

According to the latest global estimates, about 5.5 per cent of the population aged between 15 and 64 years have used drugs at least once in the past year, while 36.3 million people, or 13 per cent of the total number of persons who use drugs, suffer from drug use disorders.

Around 36 million people suffered from drug use disorders as 275 million people used drugs worldwide in 2020, according to the 2021 World Drug Report which was released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on Thursday. As per the report, in the last 24 years, cannabis potency had increased by as much as four times in parts of the world during the COVID-19 pandemic. In surveys of health professionals across 77 countries, 42 per cent asserted that cannabis use had increased. "Lower perception of drug use risks has been linked to higher rates of drug use, and the findings of UNODC's 2021 World Drug Report highlight the need to close the gap between perception and reality to educate young people and safeguard public health," said UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly. "The theme of this year's International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is "Share facts on drugs. Save lives", emphasising the importance of strengthening the evidence base and raising public awareness, so that the international community, governments, civil society, families, and youth can make informed decisions, better target efforts to prevent and treat drug use, and tackle world drug challenges," he added.