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The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
Aust, NZ world's biggest cocaine, ecstasy users: UN
Australia and New Zealand have the highest per capita cocaine and ecstasy use in the world, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) World Drug Report 2025. Three per cent of people between the ages of 15-64 in the countries grouped under the Oceania region used cocaine in 2023, almost double that of the Americas (1.6 per cent) and slightly less than triple that of Europe (1.1 per cent), according to the data published on Thursday. However, wastewater analysis cited in the report showed that consumption is "clearly lower" than other parts of the world, suggesting most users in the two countries use the drug occasionally, rather than regularly. "Past-year use of 'ecstasy' in the subregion ... remains by far the highest worldwide; this is consistent with 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) levels found in wastewater analysis," it added. In addition, it said cannabis use in the two countries is "still significantly higher than the global average", and prevalence among school students aged 15 and 16 is also relatively high in Oceania, at 13 per cent, compared with the global average of 4.4 per cent The report highlights that global cocaine production reached 3700 tons of pure cocaine in 2023, a 34 per cent increase on the previous year, and that drug trafficking routes have increasingly diversified to Africa, Asia and Australia, and are no longer limited to its main markets, Europe and North America. "The Pacific islands are increasingly targeted as transit points for cocaine and methamphetamine primarily destined for Australia and New Zealand," the report notes. Seizures of cocaine also reached "record levels" in the two countries, where drug trafficking groups are attracted by the greater purchasing power of its citizens and the high price of the drug. Furthermore, drug traffickers take advantage of the thousands of kilometres of coastline of these two large island nations due to the difficulty of policing such a vast area. In December 2024, Australian police seized 2.34 tons of cocaine (with a blackmarket value of nearly $A760 million) in one of the country's largest anti-drug operations. Australia and New Zealand have the highest per capita cocaine and ecstasy use in the world, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) World Drug Report 2025. Three per cent of people between the ages of 15-64 in the countries grouped under the Oceania region used cocaine in 2023, almost double that of the Americas (1.6 per cent) and slightly less than triple that of Europe (1.1 per cent), according to the data published on Thursday. However, wastewater analysis cited in the report showed that consumption is "clearly lower" than other parts of the world, suggesting most users in the two countries use the drug occasionally, rather than regularly. "Past-year use of 'ecstasy' in the subregion ... remains by far the highest worldwide; this is consistent with 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) levels found in wastewater analysis," it added. In addition, it said cannabis use in the two countries is "still significantly higher than the global average", and prevalence among school students aged 15 and 16 is also relatively high in Oceania, at 13 per cent, compared with the global average of 4.4 per cent The report highlights that global cocaine production reached 3700 tons of pure cocaine in 2023, a 34 per cent increase on the previous year, and that drug trafficking routes have increasingly diversified to Africa, Asia and Australia, and are no longer limited to its main markets, Europe and North America. "The Pacific islands are increasingly targeted as transit points for cocaine and methamphetamine primarily destined for Australia and New Zealand," the report notes. Seizures of cocaine also reached "record levels" in the two countries, where drug trafficking groups are attracted by the greater purchasing power of its citizens and the high price of the drug. Furthermore, drug traffickers take advantage of the thousands of kilometres of coastline of these two large island nations due to the difficulty of policing such a vast area. In December 2024, Australian police seized 2.34 tons of cocaine (with a blackmarket value of nearly $A760 million) in one of the country's largest anti-drug operations. Australia and New Zealand have the highest per capita cocaine and ecstasy use in the world, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) World Drug Report 2025. Three per cent of people between the ages of 15-64 in the countries grouped under the Oceania region used cocaine in 2023, almost double that of the Americas (1.6 per cent) and slightly less than triple that of Europe (1.1 per cent), according to the data published on Thursday. However, wastewater analysis cited in the report showed that consumption is "clearly lower" than other parts of the world, suggesting most users in the two countries use the drug occasionally, rather than regularly. "Past-year use of 'ecstasy' in the subregion ... remains by far the highest worldwide; this is consistent with 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) levels found in wastewater analysis," it added. In addition, it said cannabis use in the two countries is "still significantly higher than the global average", and prevalence among school students aged 15 and 16 is also relatively high in Oceania, at 13 per cent, compared with the global average of 4.4 per cent The report highlights that global cocaine production reached 3700 tons of pure cocaine in 2023, a 34 per cent increase on the previous year, and that drug trafficking routes have increasingly diversified to Africa, Asia and Australia, and are no longer limited to its main markets, Europe and North America. "The Pacific islands are increasingly targeted as transit points for cocaine and methamphetamine primarily destined for Australia and New Zealand," the report notes. Seizures of cocaine also reached "record levels" in the two countries, where drug trafficking groups are attracted by the greater purchasing power of its citizens and the high price of the drug. Furthermore, drug traffickers take advantage of the thousands of kilometres of coastline of these two large island nations due to the difficulty of policing such a vast area. In December 2024, Australian police seized 2.34 tons of cocaine (with a blackmarket value of nearly $A760 million) in one of the country's largest anti-drug operations. Australia and New Zealand have the highest per capita cocaine and ecstasy use in the world, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) World Drug Report 2025. Three per cent of people between the ages of 15-64 in the countries grouped under the Oceania region used cocaine in 2023, almost double that of the Americas (1.6 per cent) and slightly less than triple that of Europe (1.1 per cent), according to the data published on Thursday. However, wastewater analysis cited in the report showed that consumption is "clearly lower" than other parts of the world, suggesting most users in the two countries use the drug occasionally, rather than regularly. "Past-year use of 'ecstasy' in the subregion ... remains by far the highest worldwide; this is consistent with 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) levels found in wastewater analysis," it added. In addition, it said cannabis use in the two countries is "still significantly higher than the global average", and prevalence among school students aged 15 and 16 is also relatively high in Oceania, at 13 per cent, compared with the global average of 4.4 per cent The report highlights that global cocaine production reached 3700 tons of pure cocaine in 2023, a 34 per cent increase on the previous year, and that drug trafficking routes have increasingly diversified to Africa, Asia and Australia, and are no longer limited to its main markets, Europe and North America. "The Pacific islands are increasingly targeted as transit points for cocaine and methamphetamine primarily destined for Australia and New Zealand," the report notes. Seizures of cocaine also reached "record levels" in the two countries, where drug trafficking groups are attracted by the greater purchasing power of its citizens and the high price of the drug. Furthermore, drug traffickers take advantage of the thousands of kilometres of coastline of these two large island nations due to the difficulty of policing such a vast area. In December 2024, Australian police seized 2.34 tons of cocaine (with a blackmarket value of nearly $A760 million) in one of the country's largest anti-drug operations.
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Miami Herald
Maps Reveal Cocaine Trafficking Routes Across the Americas
Latest United Nations figures have revealed a spike in the world's production, seizure and use of cocaine, and maps show how North America is a hub for the global trade. The Vienna-based UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released a report on Thursday, which said that in 2023, illegal production of cocaine increased by around one-third from the previous year. Newsweek has contacted the UNODC for further comment. The figures are for 2023 and, as of Thursday, have not been broken down into sub-national data, but offer a snapshot of how entrenched the cocaine market is in North America and the U.S. after years of efforts to clamp down on the trade. The UN released its World Drug Report 2025 on Thursday, which provided data about the narcotics trade over the course of 2023. It said global illegal production of cocaine reached 3,708 tons in 2023, or 34 percent more than the previous year's level of 2,757 tons. Columbia was the source for most of the drugs that eventually crossed the U.S.–Mexico border, according to the report. This was because the size of the area under illicit coca bush cultivation in Colombia had yielded 50 percent more product than the previous year. Production had stabilized in Bolivia and declined slightly in Peru. The UNODC maps show how Columbia, Peru and Bolivia are the hubs for the transport of the drug throughout the continent by land, sea and air. The main cocaine trafficking flows remain from the Andean countries in South America to North America, but also from the Andean countries to Europe, either directly or sometimes through West and Central Africa. The number of cocaine users globally has also kept growing, reaching 25 million people in 2023, up from 17 million a decade earlier. However, global cocaine seizures also reached a record high in 2023 across all regions, and between 2019 and 2023, there was a 68 percent rise in the amount of the drug seized worldwide. Australia and New Zealand are now the world's biggest per-capita users of the drug, with 3 percent of people aged 15 to 64 in the two countries using the drug in 2023, nearly double the figure in the Americas and almost three times that of Europe. UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) chief of research Angela Me: "The global cocaine market is breaking records with productions, seizures, and consumption all reaching new highs in 2023." The Trump administration has repeatedly said it would target drug cartels, and earlier this month, alleged drug traffickers accused of using "narco subs" and aircraft to transport large quantities of cocaine were sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control. Following the order, Treasury Deputy Secretary Michael Faulkender said in a statement on June 6 that it would "bring our unique tools and authorities to the fight against cartels and their affiliates." Related Articles FBI To Reopen Biden White House Cocaine Find, SCOTUS Abortion Opinion LeakNosy Housemate's Attempt To Steal 'Drugs' Leads to Six-Month Sensory LossInternational Drug Policy Should Put Health First. That Means Discouraging Use | OpinionDrug Smuggler Arrested for Hiding 200g of Cocaine Under Toupee 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Newsweek
Maps Reveal Cocaine Trafficking Routes Across the Americas
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Latest United Nations figures have revealed a spike in the world's production, seizure and use of cocaine, and maps show how North America is a hub for the global trade. The Vienna-based UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released a report on Thursday, which said that in 2023, illegal production of cocaine increased by around one-third from the previous year. Newsweek has contacted the UNODC for further comment. This image from November 6, 2024 shows Spanish police and customs officers in Algeciras, Spain, next to seized cocaine found in a container from Ecuador. This image from November 6, 2024 shows Spanish police and customs officers in Algeciras, Spain, next to seized cocaine found in a container from It Matters The figures are for 2023 and, as of Thursday, have not been broken down into sub-national data, but offer a snapshot of how entrenched the cocaine market is in North America and the U.S. after years of efforts to clamp down on the trade. What To Know The UN released its World Drug Report 2025 on Thursday, which provided data about the narcotics trade over the course of 2023. It said global illegal production of cocaine reached 3,708 tons in 2023, or 34 percent more than the previous year's level of 2,757 tons. Columbia was the source for most of the drugs that eventually crossed the U.S.–Mexico border, according to the report. This was because the size of the area under illicit coca bush cultivation in Colombia had yielded 50 percent more product than the previous year. Production had stabilized in Bolivia and declined slightly in Peru. The UNODC maps show how Columbia, Peru and Bolivia are the hubs for the transport of the drug throughout the continent by land, sea and air. The main cocaine trafficking flows remain from the Andean countries in South America to North America, but also from the Andean countries to Europe, either directly or sometimes through West and Central Africa. The number of cocaine users globally has also kept growing, reaching 25 million people in 2023, up from 17 million a decade earlier. However, global cocaine seizures also reached a record high in 2023 across all regions, and between 2019 and 2023, there was a 68 percent rise in the amount of the drug seized worldwide. Australia and New Zealand are now the world's biggest per-capita users of the drug, with 3 percent of people aged 15 to 64 in the two countries using the drug in 2023, nearly double the figure in the Americas and almost three times that of Europe. This map from the Vienna-based UNODC shows the main cocaine trafficking routes through the Americas by air. This map from the Vienna-based UNODC shows the main cocaine trafficking routes through the Americas by air. Vienna-based UNODC This map from the United Nations shows cocaine trafficking routes within the Americas by water. This map from the United Nations shows cocaine trafficking routes within the Americas by water. UNODC This map by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) shows main cocaine trafficking routes by land within the Americas. This map by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) shows main cocaine trafficking routes by land within the Americas. UN Office on Drugs and Crime UNODC What People Are Saying UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) chief of research Angela Me: "The global cocaine market is breaking records with productions, seizures, and consumption all reaching new highs in 2023." What Happens Next The Trump administration has repeatedly said it would target drug cartels, and earlier this month, alleged drug traffickers accused of using "narco subs" and aircraft to transport large quantities of cocaine were sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control. Following the order, Treasury Deputy Secretary Michael Faulkender said in a statement on June 6 that it would "bring our unique tools and authorities to the fight against cartels and their affiliates."
AU Financial Review
2 days ago
- AU Financial Review
Australians are the world's biggest users of cocaine
Australia and New Zealand are the world's biggest users of cocaine, as global consumption of the illicit drug reaches record highs, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime said in its latest report. While more people use cocaine in the Americas than anywhere else, per-capita consumption is most prevalent in Australia and New Zealand, according to the World Drug Report 2025. Waste-water analysis suggests most people there are using cocaine only occasionally, the report said. Bloomberg
Toronto Sun
2 days ago
- Toronto Sun
The world's biggest users of cocaine are in Australia and New Zealand
While more people use cocaine in the Americas than anywhere else, per-capita consumption is most prevalent in Australia and New Zealand Published Jun 26, 2025 • 2 minute read A man holds a plastic packet with cocaine. Photo by DedMityay / iStock / Getty Images Australia and New Zealand are the world's biggest users of cocaine, as global consumption of the illicit drug reaches record highs, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime said in its latest report. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account While more people use cocaine in the Americas than anywhere else, per-capita consumption is most prevalent in Australia and New Zealand, according to the World Drug Report 2025. Waste-water analysis suggests most people there are using cocaine only occasionally, the report said. Some 3% of those aged 15 to 64 in Australia and New Zealand used cocaine in 2023, the report said. That's almost double the proportion in the Americas, and nearly triple the percentage in Europe — the next-biggest consumers of the drug, the report said. The report painted a bleak picture of the worldwide battle against illegal drugs and the criminals behind them, and said a new era of global instability has intensified the challenge. Production volumes, seizures and use of cocaine all hit records in 2023, making it the world's fastest-growing illegal drug market, the UN said. In total, an estimated 316 million people used illicit drugs in the period. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Organized drug trafficking groups continue to adapt, exploit global crises and target vulnerable populations,' Ghada Waly, executive director of the UNODC, said in a statement. 'We must invest in prevention and address the root causes of the drug trade at every point of the illicit supply chain.' Cocaine traffickers are breaking into new regions of Asia and Africa, the report said. But the relative wealth of Australia, and the price that users in the country are willing to pay for drugs, has long made it an attractive market for criminals. The country's vast seaboard also makes it hard for border authorities to intercept illegal shipments. Australian Federal Police pulled off a record cocaine seizure in December when they uncovered an attempt to import 2.34 tons of the drug into the country by sea. The cocaine had a street value of A$760 million ($496 million) with the potential to equate to 11.7 million street deals, authorities said. Thirteen people were charged. The UN report said cannabis remains the world's most widely used drug with 244 million users, representing 4.6% of the global population aged between 15 and 64. In Australia and New Zealand, prevalence of cannabis use was recorded at more than 12%, the report said. The use of ecstasy — also known as molly or MDMA — in Australia and New Zealand remained by far the highest worldwide, the report said. Canada Sunshine Girls Music Toronto Raptors Toronto & GTA
