Synthetic opioids are compounds that are created in a lab and have the same analgesic (pain-relieving) effects as natural opioids (such as codeine and morphine), acting on the same brain targets.
In its most recent report, World Drug Report 2024, the international organization that works to prevent drug use and related crimes noted that there were 292 million drug users worldwide in 2022—a 20% increase over the previous ten years.
According to this year’s World Drug Report, cannabis is still the most widely used drug in the world, with 228 million users. Opioids are used by 60 million people, amphetamines by 30 million, cocaine by 23 million, and ecstasy by 20 million people.
The negative effects of spraying illegal substances on crops, as well as the environmental impact of drug production and trafficking, are also highlighted in the report.
Out of an estimated 64 million people worldwide who suffer from drug use disorders, only one in eleven receive treatment, the report noted, highlighting the lack of accessibility to drug disorder treatment.
According to the report, the situation for women is even worse, with only 1 in 18 of them receiving treatment for drug use disorders, compared to 1 in 7 men.
The report also showed that drug-trafficking-backed organized crime groups are extending their reach into other illegal industries, such as financial fraud, the unauthorized use of resources, and the trafficking of wildlife.
UN Resident Coordinator in India Shombi Sharp stated, “Our efforts must be balanced, uphold rights to health, uphold human rights and help people struggling with addiction.” in reference to the need to control drug addiction.
The world’s opium production dropped by 74% in 2023 as a result of a sharp 95% decline in Afghanistan’s opium production and a 36% increase in Myanmar.
According to the report, nations impacted by Afghan opiates may soon experience long-term effects, such as alterations in the purity of heroin and a possible increase in the need for opiate treatment services.