UN Report: Cocaine Production Reaches Record Levels with Sharp Increase in Users

The annual World Drug Report released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime today, Thursday, June 26, revealed a continued global rise in cocaine trade, setting new record numbers, making it the fastest-growing illicit drug market.

The report confirmed that "cocaine production, seizures, and use reached new high levels in 2023, making it the fastest-growing illicit drug market in the world," according to a statement from the office based in Vienna.

Estimates indicate that illicit cocaine production increased by about a third, surpassing 3708 tons in 2023, the highest level ever. This increase is mainly attributed to the expansion of cultivated areas in Colombia, where recent data showed a 50% increase in yield compared to 2022.

The report noted that the global number of cocaine users rose to 25 million in 2023, compared to 17 million a decade ago. It explained that North America, Western and Central Europe, and South America remain the largest consumption markets, based on sewage analysis and consumption data.

In addition to cocaine, the report highlighted the continued growth of the synthetic drug market, supported by lower production costs and the difficulty of detecting manufacturing and trafficking operations. Seizures of amphetamine-type stimulants reached a record level in 2023, accounting for half of the global seizures of manufactured drugs, followed by synthetic opioids like fentanyl.