The world is currently witnessing a sustained rise in both drug supply and demand, and is expected to lead to the emergence of new markets beyond traditional boundaries. Along with this, the proliferation of nimble drug trafficking networks exacerbates the global crisis, posing challenges to healthcare services and law enforcement agencies.
In the World Drug Report 2023, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) highlights that in 2021, the number of people globally who used drugs reached over 296 million, representing a significant increase of 23 percent compared to the previous decade. Furthermore, the report reveals a staggering rise in the number of individuals suffering from drug use disorders, with a 45 percent surge over the same ten-year period, totalling approximately 39.5 million people.
The report highlights a significant gap in meeting the demand for treating drug-related disorders. In 2021, only one in five individuals suffering from drug-related disorders received treatment for drug use. This indicates a substantial disparity in access to treatment services across different regions.
The report emphasizes that youth populations are particularly vulnerable to drug use and are disproportionately affected by substance use disorders in various regions. For instance, in Africa, 70 percent of individuals in treatment for drug-related issues are under the age of 35.
The UNODC stresses the importance of prioritising public health, prevention, and access to treatment services. The report further underscores the need for law enforcement responses to keep pace with agile criminal business models and the proliferation of cheap synthetic drugs that are easy to bring to market.
UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly expressed concern about the ongoing increase in the number of people affected by drug use disorders globally. Waly acknowledged that despite the rise, treatment services are not adequately reaching all those in need. Additionally, Waly emphasized the importance of intensifying efforts to combat drug trafficking networks that take advantage of conflicts and global crises to expand illicit drug cultivation and production. Synthetic drugs, in particular, have become a significant concern due to their role in fuelling illicit markets and causing greater harm to individuals and communities.
DRUG-RELATED DISPARITIES AND INEQUALITIES
One specific area of concern is the access and availability of controlled drugs for medical use, especially for pain management. The report underscores the persistence of large disparities in access to these medications, particularly between the global North and South and across urban and rural areas. As a result, some individuals bear a disproportionate burden of the negative consequences associated with drug use.
An alarming statistic presented in the report is that approximately 86 percent of the world’s population resides in countries with insufficient access to pharmaceutical opioids, which are controlled under the 1961 Single Convention. These limitations primarily affect low and middle-income countries.
ACCELERATING CONFLICTS, HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES, AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEVASTATION
The World Drug Report 2023 highlights the detrimental impact of the drug economy in the Amazon Basin, which contributes to various criminal activities such as illegal logging, illegal mining, illegal land occupation, and wildlife trafficking. This convergence of crimes has severe consequences for the environment of the world’s largest rainforest. Indigenous peoples and other minorities bear the brunt of these consequences, experiencing displacement, mercury poisoning, and exposure to violence, among other hardships. Environmental defenders, who work to protect the rainforest, are sometimes specifically targeted by drug traffickers and armed groups.
The report also mentions the war in Ukraine and its impact on drug routes. While traditional cocaine and heroin routes have been disrupted by the conflict, there are indications that the situation could lead to an expansion of synthetic drug manufacturing and trafficking. The region possesses the necessary knowledge and infrastructure, and there are emerging markets for synthetic drugs in the area.
In the Sahel region, the illicit drug trade plays a significant role in financing non-state armed groups and insurgency activities. This further destabilizes the region and poses security challenges. In Haiti, drug traffickers take advantage of porous borders to strengthen their illicit businesses, exacerbating the country’s multiple crises.
PRIORITIZING PUBLIC HEALTH IN REGULATING MEDICAL USE OF CONTROLLED DRUGS
The World Drugs Report acknowledge the new research on the use of controlled drugs such as psychedelics to treat mental health conditions and substance use disorders. However, the report also cautions that the fast pace of developments could jeopardize efforts to enact policies that place public health concerns over commercial interests. Without well-designed, adequately researched frameworks in place, there may be too little access for those who need treatment – potentially causing patients to turn to illegal markets – or conversely, the psychedelics may be diverted for non-medical use.
INCREASING DOMINANCE OF SYNTHETIC DRUGS
The Report says that cheap, easy, and fast production of synthetic drugs led to substantial transformations in markets. Criminals involved in producing methamphetamine are constantly adapting to evade law enforcement and regulatory measures. This is the most prevalent illegally manufactured synthetic drug globally. They employ new synthesis routes, establish different bases of operation, and use non-controlled precursors to circumvent detection.
The report also draws attention to the drastic consequences of fentanyl in the opioid market, particularly in North America. Illegally manufactured fentanyls have had a profound impact, contributing to a significant number of opioid-related overdose deaths. In 2021, the majority of the approximately 90,000 opioid-related deaths in North America involved these illicitly produced fentanyls.
DRUG BAN IN AFGHANISTAN
The World Drug Report 2023 indicates the potential for a significant drop in the 2023 opium harvest in Afghanistan. This follows implementation of a national drug ban. These reports suggest reductions in poppy cultivation, which is the primary source of opium production. A significant reduction in illicit opium cultivation in Afghanistan would have global benefits. However, it will be at the expense of many farmers in the country who do not have alternative means of income generation. Afghanistan is also a major producer of methamphetamines in the region. The drop in opiate cultivation could drive a shift towards synthetic drug manufacture, where different actors will benefit.
