Law and governance
World Drug Report 2009
The global production and consumption of illicit drugs is shrinking
Authors:
Publisher:
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime , 2009
This annual report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) analyses market trends, and compiles detailed statistics on illicit drug markets for cocaine, cannabis, amphetamines, and opiates among others.
The report notes that the total area under opium poppy cultivation in the major cultivating countries decreased by 16 percent, mainly due to a large decrease in Afghanistan. Additionally, the total area under coca cultivation decreased by 8 percent in 2008 largely due to a strong reduction in cocaine production in Colombia (28 percent), which was not offset by increases in Bolivia and Peru.
In this report, UNODC estimates that between 172 and 250 million persons used illicit drugs at least once in the past year, with 28 million people 'physically or psychologically' drug dependent. Overall, the report concludes that the world’s biggest markets for cannabis, cocaine and opiates are shrinking. This progress notwithstanding, the report indicates that the global problem with amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) is worsening.
To ameliorate the situation, the authors of the report urge law enforcement to begin treating drug abuse as an illness rather than a crime and to focus on targeting traffickers instead of users. These conclusions are based on the understanding that people who take drugs need medical help, not criminal retribution.
