Global Drug Use on the Rise, UN Report Finds

A United Nations report on worldwide drug use has found that more people are injecting illegal drugs than previously thought, with 13.2 million people injecting drugs in 2021, 18% more than previously estimated. Synthetic substances such as fentanyl and methamphetamine now dominate the illegal drug markets. Drug users globally increased by 23% and drug-related disorders were up by 45% in a decade to nearly 40 million. Only one in five people can access treatment, says the UN, with women in particular facing barriers.