In its 2019 World Drug Report, the United Nations has confirmed that marijuana was the most widely used drug across the globe in 2017, with a consumer base as large as 188 million. Besides this figure, the report also highlights the international supply and demand of cannabis, as well as other drugs; the challenges being faced by businesses and governments alike in producing and regulating safe marijuana products; and other key marijuana statistics.
Here are a few key facts and figures about the drug from the World Drug Report, 2019:
- According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), 3.8% of the world population in the age group of 15-64 years consumed marijuana at least once in 2017.
- A surge was seen in cannabis use in North America, while consumption was flat or falling in other countries (recall that marijuana wasn’t federally legalized in Canada in 2017).
- In the past 2 decades, the number of people resorting to cannabis has increased by 30%.
- In quite a contrast to North America, Oceania witnessed a decline in cannabis use – from nearly 18% of the population aged 14 and over in 1998 to around 10% almost two decades later.
- Western and Central Europe too uses much less cannabis. The UN World Drug Report says that only 6% to 7% of the population aged 15-64 used cannabis in 2017.
- With roughly 2% of the annual prevalence rate (54 million people), Asia is at the bottom of the cannabis consumption list.
- From 2013-2017, marijuana use in Canada declined among teenagers aged 19 or younger.
- In the United States, marijuana use rose to 15.3% in 2017 from 9.9% in 2007.
You can read the entire report here- UN World Drug Report
