Use Of Illicit Drugs

Roughly 200 million people worldwide use illicit drugs such as marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine and opioids each year, according to a new study. The figure represents about one in 20 people between the ages of 15 and 64.

Australian researchers estimated that as many as 203 million people use marijuana, 56 million people use amphetamines including meth, 21 million people use cocaine and 21 million people use opioids like heroin.

The use of all four drug classes was highest in developed countries.


Up to 39 million people are considered "problematic" or dependent drug users and up to 21 million people inject drugs, according to the report.
Illicit drugs can have dangerous health effects, including overdosing, accidental injury caused by intoxication, dependence and long-term organ damage. While they may not cause immediate death, they're thought to shave 13 million years of the life spans of users worldwide, according to the report.

A 2000 report by the World Health Organization attributed roughly 241,000 deaths to illicit drug use - double the number from 1990.