The rate of drug misuse remains a significant figure. United Nations estimates put the level at around a quarter of a billion people (aged between 15 and 64 years old), for those who have abused at least one drug. In addition, of the 250 million people those suffering from drug use disorders exceeded 29 million people, a rise of 2 million from over the past year. With this, Inter Press Service (@ipsnews) tweeted: “The number of people suffering from drug use disorders has increased for the 1st time in 6 years to over 29 million.”
This is drawn from data compiled in 2014 (the latest information that is available.) This is marginally down compared with the previous review. One reason for this could be, the report speculates, a decline in poppy production in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan is the world’s greatest illicit opium producer, just ahead of Burma (Myanmar.) From the poppy plant, a range of opiates are produced. These are alkaloid compounds found naturally in the opium poppy plant Papaver somniferum. The psychoactive compounds include morphine, codeine, and thebaine.
In recent years, due to international efforts in conjunction with Afghan authorities plus a decline in overall yield resulting from agricultural issues, poppy production has fallen by 38 percent since the late 1990s. It still remains at around 4,700 tons per year.
Less good news for the control of illicit drugs is that coca bush cultivation has risen in Afghanistan, as drug barons have attempted to off-set the decline in poppy growth.
Despite the level of drug abuse having fallen the number of drug-related deaths, as indicated in the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime report, has remained relatively steady over the past decade. The current level of drug related deaths stands at 207,400 worldwide for the 15- to 64 year-old demographic.
This figures aside, there are more troubling analyses drawn from the data. With the U.S., the number of heroin users has tripled over a ten year period and there are five times.
Another interesting observation from the report is in relation to the rise in new psychoactive substances, as drug pushers attempt to create a greater range of synthetic compounds. In 2015 the number of new manufactured drugs characterized rose to 75.
