The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) revealed in its annual report released on Friday a bleak and unprecedented picture of the global drug market, stressing that the world is witnessing a huge boom in production and trafficking, with a rapid expansion of new types of narcotic substances that are filling the void created by the decline of heroin.

The report, which covers the latest data on the drug trade, showed that pure cocaine production reached about 4,100 tonnes, the highest level ever recorded, and a four-fold increase in just one decade, noting that methamphetamine seizures show a steady annual growth of nearly 13%, reflecting an expansion in both production and demand.

The executive director of the bureau, Monica Juma, said global markets were witnessing an "unprecedented increase in new types of drugs", warning that some of them were "stronger and more dangerous than ever".

The Heroin Crash... and the rise of synthetic opioids

The report spoke of a sharp decline in opium production in Afghanistan after the ban on its cultivation in 2023, which led to a significant decline in the supply of heroin globally, and this vacuum, according to the report, is being filled rapidly by synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and nitazinate, which are much stronger than traditional heroin.

The Office of Statistics revealed that fentanyl and nitazine-related reports increased in 2023 and 2024 in most regions of the world, particularly in Europe, Oceania and Africa.

North America, where fentanyl has replaced heroin for years, recorded a 10 percent increase in new synthetic opioids in 2024, while in Europe it increased by more than 80 percent, and in the Ocean region by about 150 percent, according to the report.

Cocaine... Wider spread, higher purity, and lower prices

The report confirmed that the supply and demand for cocaine continue to rise strongly, with a clear change in usage patterns. Cocaine has become part of the daytime routine of some groups, and is no longer limited to nightlife or affluent environments.

The report pointed to a surge in crack cocaine use, especially among socially and economically disadvantaged groups, with some users switching from heroin to crack due to the reduced availability of heroin.

Addiction treatment data shows a clear increase in crack cocaine use in Western and Central Europe since 2015, an increase that has been accelerating over time.

Global Drug Market on Fire and Risks Accelerating

The UN report deals with a global drug market that seems to be out of control, a market that is changing faster than countries can catch up, in which new substances are intertwined with old ones, and health and social risks multiply at an alarming pace.

With this shift, production and distribution are expanding to areas that were not previously part of the map, while states' ability to control borders and prosecute smuggling networks that have become more flexible and organized is declining.

In this accelerating landscape, demand in both traditional and emerging markets is rising, driven by changing usage patterns, the availability of new alternatives, and the decline in the prices of some items. The report warns that this explosive mixture could lead to widespread health and social crises, especially with the rapid spread of highly dangerous synthetic opioids, which are now one of the biggest direct threats to the lives of users.