Where does Europe stand on the global map of drug use? The 2026 World Drug Report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), released today, sheds light on the issue.
Europe is increasingly turning to cocaine, amphetamines including ecstasy, and cannabis – the most popular drug in the world.
From the major ports of the North Sea to the small ports of southern Europe
Western and Central Europe is the world’s second-largest cocaine market, after North America.
Consumption there has been rising sharply, particularly since 2015. Between 2014 and 2023, cocaine seizures in Western and Central Europe increased sevenfold.
The traffickers’ modus operandi changed in 2024: instead of large shipments, often hidden in fruit containers from Latin America and transiting through major North Sea ports (Antwerp, Rotterdam), trafficking shifted to southwestern Europe via smaller ports.
In recent years, some of the cocaine has also reached Eastern Europe.
Europe accounts for nearly a quarter of global cocaine use
In 2024, UNODC estimated that 5.5 million people in Europe used cocaine, representing 22 per cent of users worldwide.
Data on substance abuse treatment indicate an increase in disorders related to the use of “crack” cocaine in Western and Central Europe.
Cocaine will remain a problem in Europe, as globally, the growth in supply could soon exceed demand.
Production of this drug, derived from the coca leaf, has more than quadrupled over the past 10 years, reaching an estimated 4,000 metric tons (in pure form), due to increased productivity and expanded cultivation areas.
Amphetamine, the second most commonly used stimulant
Amphetamine is the second most commonly used stimulant in Europe after cocaine.
Western and Central Europe serve as a hub for the trafficking of synthetic drugs, particularly ecstasy and amphetamine.
Europe has shifted from small-scale local production to laboratories in greater numbers of countries, some of which operate on a large scale.
Western and Central Europe remain a major consumer market for ecstasy. Wastewater analyses indicate an increase in the use of ketamine, a powerful dissociative anaesthetic.
Eastern Europe has the world’s highest prevalence of intravenous drug users, with 1.7 million people. Among them, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS stands at 25.7%, and that of hepatitis reaches 53%.
Cannabis, the most popular drug
Most of the cannabis consumed in Europe is produced locally, and it has become the most common drug among people undergoing their first treatment for addiction (40% of patients).
Globally, the number of people using cannabis has increased by 40% over the past decade. Nearly 6% of Europe’s population uses it.