Legalization appears to increase regular use, says UNODC
US states that have legalized cannabis appear to have increased their regular cannabis use and COVID containment measures have contributed to this, increasing the risk of depression and suicide, according to the United Nations report released Monday.
Cannabis has long been the most widely abused drug in the world and this consumption is increasing as marketed cannabis grows stronger in terms of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Drugs has said. crime (UNODC) in its annual report on drugs in the world.
The Rworld drug intake 2022 highlights post-legalization cannabis trends, environmental impacts of illicit drugs, and drug use among women and youth
Various US states have legalized the non-medical use of cannabis, starting with Washington and Colorado in 2012. Uruguay legalized it in 2013, as did Canada in 2018. Others have taken similar steps, but the investigation report focused on these three countries.
Released today, the report also details record increases in the manufacture of cocaine, the expansion of synthetic drugs into new markets and continuing gaps in the availability of drug treatment, especially for women.
Cannabis on the market is getting stronger in terms of THC content
Cannabis legalization appears to have accelerated upward trends in reported daily use of the drug, the Vienna-based UNODC report said. While the prevalence of cannabis use among adolescents has not changed significantly, there has been "a pronounced increase in reported frequent use of high potency products among young adults," according to the investigation report.
"The proportion of people with psychiatric disorders and suicides associated with regular cannabis use has increased."
The report indicates that around 284 million people, or 5,6% of the world's population, used a drug such as heroin, cocaine, amphetamines or ecstasy in 2020, the most recent data available. . Of these, 209 million have used cannabis.
Periods of confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in cannabis use in 2020, the study indicates.
Cocaine production hit a record high in 2020 and trafficking by sea is intensifying, she adds, with 2021 seizure data suggesting expansion outside of the two main markets of North America and Europe to Africa and Asia.
Opioids remain the deadliest drugs, according to the report, the fentanyl having pushed U.S. overdose deaths to a new high: the provisional estimate for 2021 is 107622.
According to an annual government survey, the United States saw a significant increase in the percentage of people over the age of 2019 who used marijuana in the previous month in 26, as well as in those who used it daily or almost daily. .
Prior to recent changes to the legality of cannabis, it was thought that more readily available marijuana could increase casual use by attracting so-called cannacurists. Surprising data shows that it has also encouraged an increase in hardcore smokers.
