Global cocaine production hits record high as drug use and deaths surge
In a stark warning on the state of the world’s drug crisis, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has revealed that global cocaine production surged to an unprecedented all-time high in 2023. The UN’s annual report, released on June 26’ 2025 highlights a disturbing escalation not only in the production of cocaine but also in its use, seizures, and associated health impacts. The report paints a grim picture of a drug epidemic fueling organized crime and destabilizing societies worldwide.
According to the UNODC, cocaine production in 2023 reached an estimated 3,708 metric tons – a nearly 34% increase compared to 2022. This explosive growth is largely attributed to expanded coca cultivation and higher yields in Colombia, the world’s top coca producer. The increased availability of coca leaf has enabled criminal networks to boost the scale of cocaine manufacture, feeding the growing global demand.
This upward trajectory marks cocaine as the fastest-growing illicit drug market worldwide, reversing earlier trends where opioids or synthetic drugs dominated headlines. The sharp rise in production signals not only the resilience of criminal drug networks but also the challenges faced by governments trying to curtail supply.
The UNODC report estimates that around 25 million people worldwide used cocaine in 2023. This figure represents a staggering increase from 17 million users in 2013 – a near 47% rise over just a decade. The increase in consumption is consistent across major regions, with North America, Western and Central Europe, and South America reporting the........
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