Global Cocaine Production Hits Record High Driven by Colombia Crop

Global cocaine production reached a record 3,708 metric tons in 2023, largely driven by a surge in coca cultivation in Colombia, which now accounts for 253,000 hectares of coca crops. This increase in production coincides with a rise in cocaine users worldwide to 25 million, with the Americas remaining the largest market, while demand is also growing rapidly in developing regions such as Africa, Asia, and Southeast Europe. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) also reported record-high seizures of cocaine and synthetic drugs, including amphetamines and synthetic opioids like fentanyl, highlighting the expanding complexity and danger of global drug markets. The report underscores that drug trafficking is increasingly linked to environmental crimes, especially in the Amazon Basin, and that organized crime groups are exploiting global instability to expand their influence. Despite the rising scale of drug use and associated health crises, treatment remains inaccessible to many, with only one in twelve people with drug use disorders receiving care. The UNODC calls for intensified international efforts to address the escalating drug problem amid growing public health, environmental, and security challenges.