Guterres Urges Tech Crackdown on Drug Cyber-Trafficking as 331 Million Used Drugs in 2024
Updated
Updated · The Hans India · Jun 27
Guterres Urges Tech Crackdown on Drug Cyber-Trafficking as 331 Million Used Drugs in 2024
3 articles · Updated · The Hans India · Jun 27
Summary
331 million people used drugs in 2024—6.2% of the global population aged 15 to 64—as Antonio Guterres urged governments to use technology to detect and disrupt online trafficking and synthetic-drug production.
The appeal came as the UNODC's 2026 World Drug Report said traffickers are exploiting digital tools and global instability to launch novel drugs, test new routes and expand into new markets.
Five times more drug types were found in seizures in 2024 than before 2000, with fentanyls, nitazenes and other synthetic opioids signaling a possible lasting shift away from plant-based opiates.
Cannabis remained the most used drug at 256 million users, ahead of opioids at 63 million and amphetamines at 32 million, while methamphetamine markets spread into the Middle East, Africa and parts of Europe.
Guterres also called for more investment in prevention, harm reduction and treatment, saying fragile health systems and treatment gaps are worsening the social and security damage tied to drug use.
Is the global shift to synthetic drugs making the traditional 'war on drugs' obsolete?
With criminals using AI to create new drugs, can technology truly win the war on trafficking?
As the UN urges more health investment, why are major nations cutting funds for addiction treatment?
From Plant to Pixel: How Synthetic Drugs and Digital Trafficking Are Reshaping the Global Drug Crisis in 2026
Overview
The global drug crisis is rapidly worsening, as highlighted by the UN Secretary-General’s urgent call for bold, innovative, and evidence-based solutions. This crisis not only threatens public health but also fuels conflict, deepens inequality, and causes severe environmental damage through deforestation and toxic pollution. The rapid evolution of synthetic drugs, especially new psychoactive substances, makes the problem harder to control. Drug production and trafficking continue to drive instability and harm people’s safety and well-being worldwide. Addressing these challenges requires international cooperation, technological innovation, and a focus on both prevention and harm reduction.