GENEVA
Australia and New Zealand have the highest prevalence of cocaine use in the world, according to the latest World Drug Report released Thursday by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
While total cocaine consumption remains highest in the Americas, the annual prevalence rate — the percentage of the population using the drug — was found to be highest in Oceania, which includes Australia and New Zealand. The Americas ranked second, followed by Western and Central Europe.
The report also noted that cocaine use among 15- and 16-year-olds in Oceania is lower than among the general population.
The UNODC found cannabis use most prevalent in North America, followed by Oceania and West and Central Africa.
The report said the share of people in drug-related treatment for cannabis use was also highest in Oceania and Africa compared to other regions.
Australia and New Zealand also recorded the highest rates of ecstasy use worldwide, according to the report.
The UN agency warned that rising drug consumption in several regions, combined with growing trafficking and production networks, continues to fuel global health and security risks.
