Asger Risom
Cocaine production and consumption have reached unprecedented levels, with drug markets expanding into new regions and violence spilling across borders.
The global narcotics trade is entering a new and dangerous phase. Fueled by economic instability, armed conflicts, and criminal innovation, cocaine production has surged nearly 34% in the past year alone.
According to the latest UNODC report, over 300 million people worldwide now use illicit drugs, with cocaine at the forefront of the surge.
The drug’s normalization among the affluent and its aggressive spread into Asia and Africa suggest that the world is facing a renewed drug epidemic—one with deadly consequences.
Cocaine’s global expansion
In 2023, global cocaine production reached a record 3,700 tons, nearly quadrupling in under a decade.
The number of users has jumped from 17 million to 25 million over the same period, while seizures climbed by 12% to 2,275 tons.
Most of these were in the Americas and Europe, but dramatic increases in Africa and Asia signal broader market penetration, Reuters reports.
The growth stems from intensified cultivation in Colombia and more efficient production methods.
Even with the same coca leaf volume, more cocaine is now being extracted, resulting in a surplus that fuels usage and lowers prices.
Escalating violence and public health crises
Trafficking routes have ignited violent turf wars far from traditional hotspots. In Ecuador, murder rates have increased sixfold since 2020.
In the Caribbean and West Africa, inter-gang clashes are rising.
Even Western Europe has seen organized crime-related violence linked to the cocaine trade.
Opioids remain the deadliest drug class globally, with fentanyl driving over 100,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. alone last year.
In Latin America, ‘paco’—a crude cocaine derivative—is devastating poor urban communities.
In Southeast Asia, methamphetamine seizures and addiction rates continue to rise.
Treatment gaps and rising vulnerability
Drug use now affects 6% of the global population aged 15 to 65. Cannabis remains the most used substance, followed by opioids, amphetamines, and cocaine.
Yet only one in five people with severe addiction receive treatment. Among women, access is even lower, often due to stigma and fear of losing child custody.
As digital platforms ease access to drugs and instability widens, the UN warns that punitive policies continue to dominate.
Without a shift toward public health and prevention, the crisis is set to worsen.
