Latest news with #GhadaWaly
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
UN report: Global drug users rise to 316m, cocaine market grows
The number of drug users worldwide rose to 316 million people in 2023, according to a UN report published on Thursday. The number corresponds to 6% of the world population aged between 15 and 64 using a drug - not including tobacco or alcohol - the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna said in its 2025 World Drug Report, which is based on 2023 data. In 2013, 5.2% of the world population had consumed a drug. Cannabis remained the most consumed drug with 244 million users, followed by opioids (61 million), amphetamines (30.7 million), cocaine (25 million) and ecstasy (21 million), according to the report. "This edition of the World Drug Report shows that organized drug trafficking groups continue to adapt, exploit global crises, and target vulnerable populations," said UNODC executive director Ghada Waly. "We must invest in prevention and address the root causes of the drug trade at every point of the illicit supply chain. And we must strengthen responses, by leveraging technology, strengthening cross-border cooperation, providing alternative livelihoods, and taking judicial action that targets key actors driving these networks." Among all drugs, the market for cocaine is growing the fastest, the annual report found. Illegal cocaine production rose by more than a third year-on-year to a record 3,708 tons in 2023. The number of consumers rose from 17 million to 25 million between 2013 and 2023. According to the UN experts, the cocaine boom is not only leading to more drug-related deaths, but also to more violence between rival criminal organizations involved in drug smuggling. This can also be observed in Western and Central Europe, they said. In these two regions, more cocaine has been seized than in North America for several years now.
Business Times
17 hours ago
- Business Times
The World's biggest users of cocaine are in Australia, New Zealand
[CANBERRA) Australia and New Zealand are the world's biggest users of cocaine, as global consumption of the illicit drug reaches record highs, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said in its latest report. While more people use cocaine in the Americas than anywhere else, per-capita consumption is most prevalent in Australia and New Zealand, according to the World Drug Report 2025. Waste-water analysis suggests most people there are using cocaine only occasionally, the report said. Some 3 per cent of those aged 15 to 64 in Australia and New Zealand used cocaine in 2023, the report said. That's almost double the proportion in the Americas, and nearly triple the percentage in Europe – the next-biggest consumers of the drug, the report said. The report painted a bleak picture of the worldwide battle against illegal drugs and the criminals behind them, and said a new era of global instability has intensified the challenge. Production volumes, seizures and use of cocaine all hit records in 2023, making it the world's fastest-growing illegal drug market, the UN said. In total, an estimated 316 million people used illicit drugs in the period. 'Organised drug trafficking groups continue to adapt, exploit global crises and target vulnerable populations,' Ghada Waly, executive director of the UNODC, said in a statement. 'We must invest in prevention and address the root causes of the drug trade at every point of the illicit supply chain.' Cocaine traffickers are breaking into new regions of Asia and Africa, the report said. But the relative wealth of Australia, and the price that users in the country are willing to pay for drugs, has long made it an attractive market for criminals. The country's vast seaboard also makes it hard for border authorities to intercept illegal shipments. Australian Federal Police pulled off a record cocaine seizure in December when they uncovered an attempt to import 2.34 tons of the drug into the country by sea. The cocaine had a street value of US$496 million with the potential to equate to 11.7 million street deals, authorities said. Thirteen people were charged. The UN report said cannabis remains the world's most widely used drug with 244 million users, representing 4.6 per cent of the global population aged between 15 and 64. In Australia and New Zealand, prevalence of cannabis use was recorded at more than 12 per cent, the report said. The use of ecstasy – also known as molly or MDMA – in Australia and New Zealand remained by far the highest worldwide, the report
Mint
17 hours ago
- Mint
The World's Biggest Users of Cocaine Are in Australia
(Bloomberg) -- Australia and New Zealand are the world's biggest users of cocaine, as global consumption of the illicit drug reaches record highs, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime said in its latest report. While more people use cocaine in the Americas than anywhere else, per-capita consumption is most prevalent in Australia and New Zealand, according to the World Drug Report 2025. Waste-water analysis suggests most people there are using cocaine only occasionally, the report said. Some 3% of those aged 15 to 64 in Australia and New Zealand used cocaine in 2023, the report said. That's almost double the proportion in the Americas, and nearly triple the percentage in Europe — the next-biggest consumers of the drug, the report said. The report painted a bleak picture of the worldwide battle against illegal drugs and the criminals behind them, and said a new era of global instability has intensified the challenge. Production volumes, seizures and use of cocaine all hit records in 2023, making it the world's fastest-growing illegal drug market, the UN said. In total, an estimated 316 million people used illicit drugs in the period. 'Organized drug trafficking groups continue to adapt, exploit global crises and target vulnerable populations,' Ghada Waly, executive director of the UNODC, said in a statement. 'We must invest in prevention and address the root causes of the drug trade at every point of the illicit supply chain.' Cocaine traffickers are breaking into new regions of Asia and Africa, the report said. But the relative wealth of Australia, and the price that users in the country are willing to pay for drugs, has long made it an attractive market for criminals. The country's vast seaboard also makes it hard for border authorities to intercept illegal shipments. Subscribe to The Bloomberg Australia Podcast on Apple, Spotify, on YouTube, or wherever you listen. Australian Federal Police pulled off a record cocaine seizure in December when they uncovered an attempt to import 2.34 tons of the drug into the country by sea. The cocaine had a street value of A$760 million ($496 million) with the potential to equate to 11.7 million street deals, authorities said. Thirteen people were charged. The UN report said cannabis remains the world's most widely used drug with 244 million users, representing 4.6% of the global population aged between 15 and 64. In Australia and New Zealand, prevalence of cannabis use was recorded at more than 12%, the report said. The use of ecstasy — also known as molly or MDMA — in Australia and New Zealand remained by far the highest worldwide, the report said. (Adds metrics in third paragraph, chart.) More stories like this are available on
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
UN: Afghan opium prices skyrocket following ban on poppy cultivation
The price of opium in Afghanistan surged to $750 per kilogram in 2024, a tenfold increase compared to two years prior, according to a report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on Wednesday. The spike follows the Taliban government's ban on poppy cultivation in 2022 and destruction of crops. This led to a significant reduction in opium production, the report released on Wednesday said. But drug traffickers are profiting greatly due to the resulting high prices. The report revealed that Afghanistan's opium stockpiles at the end of 2022 were estimated at 13,200 tons, enough to potentially meet global demand for Afghan opiates until 2027. Ghada Waly, executive director of UNODC, warned the profits from the drug trade are being funnelled into trans-national organized crime groups, which are destabilizing Afghanistan, the region, and beyond. She stressed the need for a coordinated strategy to combat trafficking networks and provide alternative livelihoods for Afghan farmers. Many Afghan farmers are facing financial hardship because they can no longer cultivate opium due to the ban. The UNODC urged urgent support for these farmers, including offering alternatives to prevent them from returning to poppy cultivation. Afghanistan was for years the world's primary source of opium.
See - Sada Elbalad
12-03-2025
- Health
- See - Sada Elbalad
UN Selects Egypt as 1st Country to Implement CHAMPS Initiative for Child Protection
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has chosen Egypt as the first country in the world to implement the CHAMPS initiative, a global effort aimed at enhancing prevention systems for children up to the age of 18. The announcement was made during the 68th session of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), currently being held at the UN headquarters in Vienna. Dr. Maya Morsy, Egypt's Minister of Social Solidarity and Chairperson of the Fund for Combating and Treating Addiction and Abuse, delivered a recorded speech at the event. She expressed her delight at Egypt's selection, emphasizing the country's commitment to protecting children and adolescents from drug abuse and other societal risks. She also welcomed Dr. Ghada Waly, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNODC, along with Egyptian Ambassador to Austria Mohamed Nasr and other distinguished delegates. Dr. Ghada Waly officially opened the 68th INCB session, which is being attended by 2,000 participants, including ministers of foreign affairs and interior, diplomats, and experts from around the world. The Egyptian delegation includes Dr. Amr Othman, Director of the Fund for Combating and Treating Addiction and Abuse, Major General Mohamed Zohair, Director of the General Administration for Drug Control, and Medhat Wahba, Managing Editor of Youm7 Newspaper. In her speech, Dr. Morsy highlighted the importance of the CHAMPS initiative, describing it as a groundbreaking, evidence-based approach to safeguarding children from infancy through adolescence. She noted that the initiative serves as a beacon of prevention, reinforcing children's resilience and protecting them from substance abuse and other developmental risks. Egypt's selection by UNODC underscores the country's pivotal role in global drug prevention efforts and its commitment to international obligations in combating drug abuse and illicit trafficking. The initiative, launched in October 2024, was officially adopted by Egypt in the presence of the Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development, the Minister of Health and Population, and the UN Under-Secretary-General. Dr. Morsy reaffirmed Egypt's unwavering political commitment to the CHAMPS initiative, emphasizing that it aligns with the nation's dedication to securing a safer and healthier future for its children.
