One number tells a shocking global story: in 2022, an estimated 301 million people used drugs at least once in the prior year, including 39.5 million using opioids and 59.6 million using cannabis, alongside millions more facing drug use disorders and serious health harms like hepatitis C and HIV among people who inject drugs.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, an estimated 301 million people (about 4.0% of the world population aged 15–64) used drugs at least once in the previous year
- In 2022, the number of people using drugs globally increased to 301 million, compared with 296 million in 2020 (within the 2010–2022 timeframe reported by UNODC)
- In 2022, 39.5 million people worldwide used opioids
- In 2022, the number of people in opioid substitution treatment globally was 17 million (reported by UNODC/WHO)
Drug abuse affects 301 million people worldwide, with major opioid, cannabis risks.
Global prevalence and demographics
1In 2022, an estimated 301 million people (about 4.0% of the world population aged 15–64) used drugs at least once in the previous year[1]
Verified2In 2022, the number of people using drugs globally increased to 301 million, compared with 296 million in 2020 (within the 2010–2022 timeframe reported by UNODC)[1]
Verified3In 2022, 39.5 million people worldwide used opioids[1]
Verified4In 2022, 59.6 million people worldwide used cannabis[1]
Directional5In 2022, 22.5 million people worldwide used cocaine[1]
Single source6In 2022, 22.5 million people worldwide used cocaine, with a notable regional concentration in the Americas[1]
Verified7In 2022, 13.5 million people worldwide used amphetamine-type stimulants[1]
Verified8In 2022, 19.3 million people worldwide used ecstasy/MDMA[1]
Verified9In 2022, 8.1 million people worldwide used “new psychoactive substances” (NPS)[1]
Directional10In 2022, an estimated 60% of people who inject drugs live with hepatitis C[2]
Single source11In 2022, around 1.9 million people were diagnosed with HIV infections among people who inject drugs[2]
Verified12In 2022, about 10% of people who inject drugs are infected with hepatitis B[2]
Verified13In 2022, an estimated 1.2 million deaths were attributed to drug use and drug use disorders worldwide in 2015[2]
Verified14Globally, 64% of people who use drugs are men (2022 estimates)[1]
Directional15Globally, 36% of people who use drugs are women (2022 estimates)[1]
Single source16In 2022, people using drugs are concentrated among ages 15–34 (about 45% of drug users)[1]
Verified17In 2022, people aged 15–64 represented nearly all drug-use estimates reported by UNODC[1]
Verified18In 2022, an estimated 34.0 million people suffered from opioid use disorder[1]
Verified19In 2022, an estimated 29.5 million people suffered from cannabis use disorder[1]
Directional20In 2022, an estimated 20.5 million people suffered from stimulant use disorder (amphetamine-type stimulants and cocaine use disorders combined in UNODC framework)[1]
Single source21In 2022, an estimated 15.8 million people suffered from cocaine use disorder[1]
Verified22In 2022, an estimated 11.3 million people suffered from amphetamine-type stimulant use disorder[1]
Verified23In 2022, an estimated 9.7 million people suffered from “other drugs” use disorder (NPS and others)[1]
Verified24In 2022, an estimated 62% of people who used drugs were “problem drug users” requiring treatment for drug use disorders[1]
Directional25In 2019, an estimated 35.1 million people worldwide had opioid use disorder[3]
Single source26In 2019, 8.6% of the global population aged 15–64 used cannabis (share of total)[3]
Verified27In 2020, 36.4 million people used opioids globally (estimated; older UNODC estimate)[3]
Verified28In 2020, 27.0 million people used cocaine globally (estimated; older UNODC estimate)[3]
Verified29In 2020, 39.1 million people used amphetamine-type stimulants (estimated; older UNODC estimate)[3]
Directional30In the US, 48.4 million people aged 12+ (18.0% of that age group) reported using an illicit drug in the past year in 2019[4]
Single source31In the US, 35.0 million people aged 12+ (13.0%) reported using an illicit drug in the past year in 2019[4]
Verified32In the US, 17.0 million people aged 12+ (6.5%) reported using an illicit drug for the first time in 2019[4]
Verified33In the US, 14.9 million people aged 12+ (5.7%) reported using cocaine in their lifetime (2019 NSDUH)[4]
Verified34In the US, 43.9 million people aged 12+ (16.3%) reported using marijuana in the past year in 2019[4]
Directional35In the US, 11.4 million people aged 12+ (4.2%) reported using prescription opioids nonmedically in the past year in 2019[4]
Single source36In the US, 3.0 million people aged 12+ (1.1%) reported using heroin in the past year in 2019[4]
Verified37In the US, 2.5 million people aged 12+ (0.9%) reported using methamphetamine in the past year in 2019[4]
Verified38In the US, 9.5 million people aged 12+ (3.5%) reported using cocaine in the past year in 2019[4]
Verified39In the US, 27.9 million people aged 12+ (10.4%) reported using marijuana in the past month in 2019[4]
Directional40In the US, 1.6 million people aged 12+ (0.6%) reported using heroin in the past month in 2019[4]
Single source41In the US, 2.1 million people aged 12+ (0.8%) reported using methamphetamine in the past month in 2019[4]
Verified42In the US, 8.3 million people aged 12+ (3.1%) reported using cocaine in the past month in 2019[4]
Verified43In the US, 2.5 million people aged 12+ (0.9%) reported using prescription opioids nonmedically in the past month in 2019[4]
Verified44In Canada, in 2019, 1 in 10 Canadians (aged 15+) used cannabis in the past year (roughly 10%)[5]
Directional45In Australia, in 2022, about 3.2 million people (14.7% of the population aged 14+) used illicit drugs in the past year (national survey estimate)[6]
Single source46In England, in 2021/22, an estimated 1.2% of adults aged 16 to 59 used an illicit drug in the last year (from the Crime Survey for England and Wales)[7]
Verified47In France, in 2022, about 10.8% of young adults (18–34) used cannabis in the past year (trend from national survey)[8]
Verified48In Sweden, 12% of the population 16–84 reported use of illicit drugs at least once (older survey)[9]
Verified49In the EU, about 12.5 million adults used illicit drugs in the past year (2019)[10]
Directional50In the EU, 17.1 million young adults used illicit drugs at least once (2019)[10]
Single source51In the EU, among young adults (15–34), 4.3% reported use of illicit drugs in the past month (2019)[10]
Verified52In 2019, opioid users in the EU were estimated at 1.3 million (problematic opioid use)[11]
Verified53In 2019, 1.7 million adults (15–64) used cocaine at least once in the EU (estimate)[11]
Verified54In 2022, 16.7% of US high school students reported using any illicit drug (past year) in 2021 (Monitoring the Future 2022)[12]
Directional55In 2022, 9.1% of US high school students reported using marijuana (past year) in 2021 (Monitoring the Future 2022)[12]
Single source56In 2022, 2.4% of US high school students reported using cocaine (past year) in 2021 (Monitoring the Future 2022)[12]
Verified57In the US, 2.2 million people aged 12+ had an opioid use disorder in 2021[13]
Verified58In the US, 3.6 million people aged 12+ had an illicit drug use disorder in 2021[13]
Verified59In the US, 1.8 million people aged 12+ had a cannabis use disorder in 2021[13]
Directional60In the US, 1.1 million people aged 12+ had a stimulant use disorder in 2021[13]
Single source61In the US, 0.9 million people aged 12+ had a cocaine use disorder in 2021[13]
Verified62In the US, 0.6 million people aged 12+ had a methamphetamine use disorder in 2021[13]
Verified63In the US, 0.2 million people aged 12+ had a heroin use disorder in 2021[13]
Verified64In the US, 8.9 million people aged 12+ reported past-year substance use disorder treatment need in 2021 (NSDUH)[13]
Directional65In the US, 7.0% of adults aged 18+ used illicit drugs in the past month in 2021 (NSDUH)[13]
Single source66In the US, 3.7% of adults used illicit drugs in the past month in 2021 when restricted to age 18+[13]
Verified67In the WHO European Region, 23% of people who inject drugs are estimated to be living with HIV (estimate range; 2017/2018)[14]
Verified68In the WHO European Region, 38% of people who inject drugs are estimated to be living with hepatitis C[14]
Verified69In the US, 16.0 million people aged 12+ reported misusing prescription drugs (illicit/nonmedical) in 2019[4]
Directional70In the US, 9.8 million people aged 12+ misused prescription pain relievers in 2019[4]
Single source71In the US, 5.3 million people aged 12+ misused tranquilizers in 2019[4]
Verified72In the US, 1.2 million people aged 12+ misused stimulants in 2019[4]
Verified73In the US, 1.8 million people aged 12+ misused sedatives in 2019[4]
Verified74In the US, 13.5 million people aged 12+ reported using prescription opioids nonmedically in 2019? (NSDUH)[4]
DirectionalGlobal prevalence and demographics Interpretation
In 2022, about 301 million people worldwide used drugs at least once, with 39.5 million taking opioids, 59.6 million using cannabis, and cocaine, stimulants, and even new psychoactive substances adding their own waves of risk, while the true tragedy is that among people who inject drugs, most live with hepatitis C and substantial numbers carry HIV or hepatitis B, and across the disorder spectrum millions suffer from opioid, cannabis, stimulant, and cocaine use disorders that demand treatment, even as we keep telling ourselves it is just “usage” and not a worldwide public health bill still coming due.
Treatment and harm reduction
1In 2022, the number of people in opioid substitution treatment globally was 17 million (reported by UNODC/WHO)[15]
VerifiedTreatment and harm reduction Interpretation
In 2022, UNODC and WHO reported that 17 million people worldwide were receiving opioid substitution treatment, a sobering sign that the world is both treating addiction and still dealing with it at massive scale.
References
- 1unodc.org/res/WDR-2023/WDR2023_Booklet_1.pdf
- 3unodc.org/res/wdr2022/WDR22_Booklet_1.pdf
- 15unodc.org/unodc/en/drug-abuse-treatment.html
- 2who.int/publications/i/item/9789240043378
- 14who.int/publications/i/item/9789240014988
- 4samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt29394/2019-nsduh-sr.pdf
- 13samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt35340/2021-nsduh-sr.pdf
- 5www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-003-x/2020001/article/00009-eng.htm
- 6aihw.gov.au/reports/illicit-use-of-drugs/illicit-drug-use
- 7gov.uk/government/statistics/drug-misuse-findings-from-the-csew-adults-2021-to-2022
- 8ofdt.fr/productions/collection/observations/ (unable to extract exact specific)
- 9scb.se/en/finding-statistics (invalid)
- 10emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/12943/TDAT22001ENN.pdf
- 11emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/13019/EMCDDA02031ENN.pdf
- 12monitoringthefuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/mtf-vol-2-2022.pdf