UN Report Highlights Global Surge in Cocaine Use, Reaching All-Time High
Cocaine consumption has reached a record high globally, according to a recent report released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. The report reveals that over 22 million individuals used the drug at least once in 2021, marking a five percent increase compared to the previous year and a significant rise of nearly one-third over the past decade. Notably, this surge in usage represents the fourth consecutive year of growth.
The report further indicates that drug usage in general has risen by 23 percent since a decade ago, with an estimated 296 million people worldwide engaging in drug consumption during 2021. The United Nations agency cautions that the world is currently witnessing an enduring surge in both the supply and demand for cocaine, a highly popular drug in countries such as the United States. Such trends also carry the risk of new markets emerging in other nations.
Cocaine is classified as a Schedule II substance in the United States, alongside fentanyl, methamphetamines, and morphine. In the United Kingdom, it is classified as a Class A drug, denoting substances with a high potential for abuse.
The UN agency warns in its report that the global surge in cocaine usage is likely to foster the development of new markets beyond the traditional areas. The report’s estimates were generated using data on cocaine use reported by more than a dozen countries, although the agency did not comment on whether they believed the figures to be an underestimation.
While the majority of the cocaine market is concentrated in the Americas, with key manufacturing countries including Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia, the report highlights the substantial market presence of cocaine in Western and Central Europe, as well as Australia. Growing markets, albeit from lower levels, have also been identified in Africa, Asia, and Southeastern Europe.
Notably, cocaine ranks as the most widely used drug in several countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and France. The drug’s supply chain involves Farmers selling coca leaves to drug cartels, who process them in sophisticated labs to extract the cocaine compound. The final product is then smuggled to the market, either in the form of a white powder or hidden within various items such as charcoal or certain plastics.
Within the United States, cocaine stands as the second most popular drug, surpassed only by cannabis. While there was a surge in cocaine usage leading up to 2002, subsequent years saw a decline until reaching a low point between 2012 and 2016. Since then, consumption has slightly increased and plateaued at over a million people per year.
It is important to note that the United States is currently grappling with a drug crisis driven by the presence of fentanyl, a potent sedative that is 50 times more powerful than heroin, being laced into drugs such as cocaine and heroin. This crisis traces its roots back to the 1990s when pharmaceutical companies aggressively marketed opioid painkillers, downplaying their addictive potential and leading to widespread prescriptions. As prescriptions waned, many individuals turned to the black market and subsequently to heroin, which eventually became contaminated with fentanyl by manufacturers, exacerbating the crisis.
Written by
Derek Chan – Editor
