Drug use prevalence continues to be stable around the world, according to the 2015 World Drug Report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). It is estimated that a total of 246 million people – slightly over 5 per cent of those aged 15 to 64 years worldwide – used an illicit drug in 2013. Some 27 million people are problem drug users, almost half of whom are people who inject drugs (PWID). An estimated 1.65 million of people who inject drugs were living with HIV in 2013. Men are three times more likely than women to use cannabis, cocaine and amphetamines, while women are Continue reading
Tag Archives: Yury Fedotov
Wildlife trafficking is organized crime on a ‘massive scale’, warns UNODC head
Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Yury Fedotov called on states to strengthen global efforts to combat poaching and illicit wildlife trafficking. Speaking on the margins of the UN General Assembly at an event organized by the President of Gabon, Ali Bongo Ondimba, and German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, Mr. Fedotov Continue reading
UNODC Chief stresses need to promote rule of law, combat drugs, crime in post-2015 development agenda
UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov, addressing a panel discussion of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in Geneva, underscored the links between combating drugs and crime and achieving sustainable development. The discussion, which was held on 22 July 2013 as part of ECOSOC’s substantive session this month, focused on “the Vienna-based Commissions and the importance of drug control, Continue reading
Illicit substance use remains high in the Oceania region
The prevalence of the use of most illicit substances remains quite high in the Oceania region, while quantitative data for the Pacific island States remains limited. High prevalence rates are reported for the use of cannabis (10.9 per cent), opioids (3.0 per cent), “ecstasy” (2.9 per cent), ATS (2.1 per cent) and cocaine (1.5 per cent). Continue reading