UN drug report: Cannabis use puts a strain on health systems

According to a report by the United Nations (UN), the increasing consumption of cannabis is putting additional strain on healthcare facilities.

In the European Union (EU), hemp drugs are the cause of around 30 percent of drug therapies, according to the annual report of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna, which was published on Monday.

In Africa and some Latin American countries, most such therapies are related to cannabis addiction.

The increasing potency of hash and marijuana on the market, combined with regular use, has led to a rise in addiction and mental illness in Western Europe, according to UNODC.

The UN agency is also concerned that various stronger drugs will find new markets.

Seizures indicate that cocaine smuggling is spreading beyond the main distribution areas of North America and Europe to Africa and Asia.

Methamphetamine, which is also a stimulant, is no longer just a problem in East and Southeast Asia, but also in countries like Afghanistan and Mexico.

The UNODC estimates that 284 million young people and adults use drugs.

These calculations are based on the latest available figures from 2020.