Global drug usage increased to 331 million people by 2024, representing 6.2% of the population aged 15-64.
There is an unprecedented spike in highly potent synthetic drugs like fentanyls, nitazenes, and orphines.
The number of new psychoactive substances (NPS) reached 755 in 2024, with 118 appearing for the first time.
A shift from plant-based opiates to synthetics is occurring following the 2022 opium ban in Afghanistan.