DRUG ADDICTION: GLOBAL TRENDS IN THE MOST COMMON DRUGS OF OUR TIME
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11603/1681-2786.2025.3.15641Keywords:
drug addiction; global trends; narcotic substances.Abstract
Рurpose: to study global trends in drug addiction, in particular, the use of the most common drugs, their impact on human physiology and psyche. Materials and Methods. Relevant scientific publications and reports of international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) were analyzed. Results. Drug addiction is a complex problem that covers medical, economic, criminal and social aspects of society. It causes significant damage to states and citizens, leading to degradation of human capital, increased crime and the destruction of social ties. In 2022, almost 292 million people (every 18th person) used drugs, which is 20% more than 10 years ago. In 2022, 64 million people (every 81st person in the world) were addicted to drugs, an increase of 3% compared to 2018. Today, the most commonly abused drugs in the world are cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines, ecstasy, and opioids, including fentanyl. In addition, the proliferation of new psychoactive substances, such as synthetic cannabinoids, poses a new threat due to their toxicity, lack of control, and unknown long-term health effects. Cannabis is the most commonly used drug in the world, with 49% of countries reporting that the largest number of drug use disorders are related to cannabis, and 38% indicating that it is the main reason for seeking treatment. Conclusions. Drug addiction is one of the most serious global problems of modern society, which has a devastating impact on all aspects of life of both individuals and humanity as a whole. The most commonly used drugs are synthetic cannabinoids and ketamine. At the same time, more and more dangerous substances are appearing on the market, including nitazenes. The growing demand for ketamine and nitazenes poses serious health risks that require enhanced monitoring and preventive measures.
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