Global Drug Report – 2026
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has released its 2026 World Drug Report, documenting an all-time high in cocaine production—exceeding 4,000 metric tons annually—alongside a rise in the number of drug users to 331 million, representing a 34% increase over the past decade. The report also highlights a 40% jump in cannabis consumption, now reaching 256 million users, the global expansion of methamphetamine, a decline in opium production due to the Taliban's ban, and growing use of synthetic opioids.
Cocaine output has hit unprecedented levels, driven by expanded coca cultivation in Latin America and improved processing technologies. According to the report, seizure rates for cocaine in Africa and Asia saw the highest growth worldwide between 2020 and 2024. Over the last ten years, cocaine production has more than quadrupled.
Monica Huma, Executive Director of UNODC, stated: 'We are witnessing an unprecedented surge in new types of drugs entering the market, some of which are more potent or dangerous than ever before.'
Cannabis is used by approximately 256 million people, with user numbers climbing 40% over the decade. Exports of cannabis from the United States and Canada now reach over 57 countries outside North America, compared to just 11 countries a decade ago. Methamphetamine seizures have been rising by an average of 13% annually, signaling its global spread.
Opium Production Status
Opium production in Myanmar rose from 420 tons in 2021 to over 1,000 tons in 2025. Meanwhile, the Taliban's ban on poppy cultivation in Afghanistan led to a drop in the country's opium output. In 2024, seized goods contained five times more drug varieties than before the year 2000, and the number of new psychoactive substances on the market reached 755, with 118 recorded for the first time.
Monica Huma also remarked: 'We are already feeling the consequences: millions of premature deaths, shattered lives and entire communities, drug networks distorting economies. The need to focus on combating organized crime has never been more urgent.'
Spain intercepted a record cocaine shipment in the Atlantic, weighing between 35 and 40 metric tons, further evidence of the expanding global drug trade.
The rise in both drug production and consumption underscores the serious challenges many countries face in tackling organized crime and narcotics trafficking. Strengthening controls and implementing new anti-drug strategies are critical steps toward improving the situation. As novel drugs emerge on the market, the challenges for law enforcement and healthcare systems become increasingly complex.