TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Global drug markets are undergoing rapid transformation as criminal networks exploit new technologies, geopolitical instability, and evolving trafficking methods to expand their reach and introduce increasingly dangerous substances, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said in its World Drug Report 2026, released on Friday, June 26, and its press release was received by Tempo on Tuesday, June 30, 2026.
The report warns that organized crime groups are introducing more potent synthetic drugs, experimenting with new trafficking routes, and aggressively targeting emerging markets, presenting growing challenges for law enforcement and public health systems worldwide.
UNODC Executive Director Monica Juma said the world is witnessing an unprecedented surge in new drug types, many of which pose greater health risks than previous substances.
"We have seen an unprecedented spike in new types of drugs on the market, and worryingly, some are more potent or dangerous than before," Juma said.
She noted that the consequences extend far beyond addiction, contributing to millions of premature deaths, economic disruption, organized crime, insecurity, and violence.
Juma urged governments to strengthen efforts against transnational criminal organizations by expanding intelligence-sharing, coordinating joint operations, and increasing investment in drug prevention and treatment programs.
According to the report, an estimated 331 million people—or 6.2 percent of the global population aged 15 to 64—used illicit drugs in 2024, up from 5.2 percent a decade earlier.
Cannabis remained by far the world's most widely used drug, with approximately 256 million users, followed by opioids with 63 million, amphetamines with 32 million, cocaine with 25 million, and ecstasy with 21 million users.
The report also highlights the rapid expansion of synthetic drugs. Authorities detected five times more types of synthetic drugs in seizures in 2024 than before 2000, while the number of new psychoactive substances circulating globally reached 755, including 118 substances identified for the first time.
As reported by the UNODC, the continued decline in heroin production following Afghanistan's 2022 opium ban may permanently reshape the global opioid market. Although opium production has increased in Myanmar and several other countries, the combined output remains well below Afghanistan's previous production levels.
The resulting supply gap has accelerated the spread of synthetic opioids such as fentanyls, nitazenes, and orphines, raising concerns that traffickers are shifting away from plant-based opioids toward synthetic alternatives that are often significantly more potent.
Methamphetamine trafficking has also become increasingly global. New production hubs and trafficking routes have expanded supplies into Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, while seizures have continued to rise, particularly across East and Southeast Asia.
Myanmar remains the largest producer of methamphetamine, but suppliers from North America, West Africa, Southern Africa, and Southwest Asia have increasingly entered the market to meet rising global demand.
The report also notes that methamphetamine produced in North America is now reaching countries across the Pacific, contributing to higher trafficking and consumption in Pacific Island nations.
Meanwhile, disruption of the illicit captagon market following the collapse of Syria's former Assad government in late 2024 has led to higher prices for the stimulant in parts of the Middle East, prompting concerns that some users may switch to methamphetamine.
Cannabis markets have also evolved significantly over the past decade, partly influenced by legalization and decriminalization policies adopted in several jurisdictions, particularly in North America.
Global cannabis use has increased by 40 percent over the past ten years, while its prevalence among adults aged 15 to 64 rose from 3.8 percent in 2014 to 4.8 percent in 2024. Cannabis seizures likewise reached record levels during the year.
Historically, cannabis trafficking has largely occurred within individual regions because the crop can be cultivated almost anywhere. However, international shipments from North America have increased substantially, with 57 countries and territories outside the region identifying North America as a source of seized cannabis between 2015 and 2024, compared with only 11 during the previous decade.
The report also warns that global cocaine production continues to outpace previous records. Estimated output exceeded 4,000 tonnes of pure cocaine in 2024—more than four times the level recorded ten years earlier—driven by expanding cultivation and higher productivity.
Organized crime groups are increasingly directing cocaine toward both established markets in Europe, North America, and Oceania and emerging destinations across Africa and Asia, where seizure growth has accelerated despite relatively small overall volumes.
Beyond trafficking, the UNODC emphasized that drug use continues to contribute to broader security challenges, including violent crime, family conflict, and social instability. However, the report notes that many of these harms are also closely linked to poverty, homelessness, mental health conditions, and limited access to healthcare and social services.
The agency said addressing those underlying social factors remains essential to reducing both drug demand and the wider harms associated with illicit drug markets.
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