The global illicit drug market expanded substantially in recent years, driven by record levels of cocaine production and rising indicators of methamphetamine manufacture, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
In its annual World Drug Report, the UNODC said cocaine production surged to roughly 4,100 metric tons of pure product in 2024 - the highest level on record - representing about a fourfold increase over the span of a decade. At the same time, seizures of methamphetamine have climbed to unprecedented levels, and metrics used to estimate its production point to growth of roughly 13% per year.
"We have seen an unprecedented spike in new types of drugs on the market, and worryingly, some are more potent or dangerous than before," UNODC Executive Director Monica Juma said in a statement accompanying the report.
The UNODC highlighted an important shift in the market following a steep fall in opium production in Afghanistan after the Taliban imposed a ban on cultivation. Opium output fell sharply in 2023 and has not recovered, the agency said, a development linked to a reduced supply of heroin, which is derived from opium.
At the same time, the agency reported a marked increase in reports of new synthetic opioids in 2024, including fentanyls and more powerful substances such as nitazenes. The UNODC noted that these substances may be partially filling the void created by the decline in heroin availability, with Europe singled out as a region where such substitution appears to be occurring.
"Instances of NPS (new psychoactive substance) synthetic opioids reported in early warning systems increased in 2023 and 2024 across most regions, but most prominently in Europe, Oceania and Africa, suggesting a recent diversification by market actors," the UNODC said in the report.
Regional patterns varied. The report said North America, where fentanyl has in many places largely displaced heroin, saw about a 10% rise in the number of NPS synthetic opioids identified in 2024 compared with 2023. Europe experienced an increase of more than 80% in identified NPS synthetic opioids, while Oceania reported a rise of about 150%.
Beyond production and seizure figures, the report described changes in how cocaine is consumed: purity levels have risen while prices have fallen. Qualitative research cited by the UNODC indicates the drug's use has expanded beyond traditional nightlife settings into broader social contexts and even daily routines.
The report also documents an upturn in 'crack' cocaine use among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups and suggests a shift from heroin to crack in some populations. Data on people receiving treatment for drug use were said to strongly indicate an increase in crack cocaine treatment cases in Western and Central Europe beginning around 2015.
Overall, the UNODC characterized the global drug landscape as diversifying and intensifying, with new substances emerging and established markets evolving in response to changing supplies and demand.
Key takeaways
- Cocaine production reached approximately 4,100 metric tons of pure product in 2024, a fourfold rise over a decade.
- Methamphetamine seizures are at record levels; production indicators point to about 13% annual growth.
- New synthetic opioids, including fentanyls and nitazenes, have been increasingly identified, particularly in Europe, Oceania and Africa.
Contextual notes
- Opium production in Afghanistan fell sharply in 2023 after a cultivation ban and has not rebounded, coinciding with reduced heroin supply.
- Patterns of cocaine consumption show higher purity, lower prices, and widening social use beyond nightlife settings.
- Treatment data point to rising crack cocaine use in Western and Central Europe beginning in 2015.