*Survey puts figure in Nigeria at 14.3m people
*Mkpuru mmiri seizures now in 117 countries
*Morocco world’s largest producer of Cannabis
Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja
No fewer than 284 million people aged between 15 and 64 used drugs worldwide in 2020, which was a 26 per cent increase over the previous decade, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has revealed in a new report.
The Drug Use survey by UNODC Nigeria also showed that over 14.3 million people in the country used drugs and one in four of them is a woman or girl in the review period.
The report showed that in many countries, young people use more drugs today than their elders.
The majority of people treated for drug use disorders in Africa and Latin America were under 35 years old, the report added.
It affirmed that there were approximately 11.2 million people who inject drugs worldwide, and that nearly half of these individuals suffered from hepatitis C, 1.4 million suffered from HIV and 1.2 million suffered from both conditions.
According to the UNODC report, the issue of Cannabis legalisation in North America appeared to have increased daily cannabis use, stressing that especially potent cannabis products were being used among young adults.
It further stated that there had also been reported increases in people with psychiatric disorders, suicides, and hospitalisations, while legalisation increased tax revenues and reduced marijuana arrest rates.
According to the report, another important issue was the continued growth in drug production and trafficking.
Cocaine manufacturing was at a record high in 2020, growing 11 per cent from 2019 to 1,982 tons, the report noted.
Cocaine seizures also increased to a record 1,424 tons in 2020, despite the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to UNODC, around 90 per cent of the cocaine seized globally during 2021 was shipped in containers.
In addition to the main markets of North America and Europe, it revealed that cocaine trafficking had spread to other regions, including Africa and Asia.
The latest UNODC report also listed Morocco as the world’s leading country in the origin and departure of cannabis resin.
Morocco, it stated, was mentioned 100 times as a country of origin and departure of cannabis resin by nations that had seized the drug between 2016 and 2020.
Afghanistan, a major player in the cannabis resin market, was reportedly the second-largest producer of the drug, ahead of Pakistan and Lebanon.
Globally, methamphetamine (Mkpuru Mmiri in Nigeria) trafficking has continued to grow, with 117 countries reporting seizures of methamphetamine in 2016-2020 versus 84 in 2006-2010.
Besides, between 2020 and 2021, opium production worldwide increased seven percent to 7,930 tons, primarily due to an increase in production in Afghanistan.
The report emphasised the importance of galvanising the international community, governments, civil society and all stakeholders to take urgent action to protect people, including by strengthening drug use prevention and treatment and by tackling illicit drug supply.
Reacting to these findings, UNODC Executive Director, Ghada Waly stated: “Numbers for the manufacturing and seizures of many illicit drugs are hitting record highs, even as global emergencies are deepening vulnerabilities.
“At the same time, misperceptions regarding the magnitude of the problem and the associated harms are depriving people of care and treatment and driving young people towards harmful behaviours.
“We need to devote the necessary resources and attention to addressing every aspect of the world drug problem, including the provision of evidence-based care to all who need it, and we need to improve the knowledge base on how illicit drugs relate to other urgent challenges, such as conflicts and environmental degradation.”
Meanwhile, Nigeria has officially launched its first ever comprehensive national survey on drug use and health – Drug Use in Nigeria 2018.
The survey revealed that the country has over 14.3 million people who use drugs and one in four of them is a woman or girl.
A statement posted on its website by UNODC Nigeria noted that, “even more alarming is the data that indicates that only one in 20 people on treatment for using drugs, is a woman.”
It added: “Whilst there is a generally acknowledged dearth of drug treatment services in Nigeria, the gap is even more disproportionate for female drug users who for a myriad reason are unable to access treatment as easily as their male counterparts. This is further buttressed by the findings of the World Drug Report 2022.”
It noted that it was no surprise that members of the Nigerian Governors Wives Forum were at the forefront of advocating for improved access to drug prevention and treatment services in Nigeria.
