Over 280 mln people used drugs globally in 2020: UN official

More than 280 million people used drugs worldwide in 2020, the head of the UN drugs agency said on Thursday.

In a message released ahead of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26, Ghada Fathi Waly, the director-general of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, said that drug trafficking is also increasing.

She also said there are serious problems in accessing necessary support for people who use drugs and need treatment, caused by several reasons, mainly the COVID-19 pandemic and instability in Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Africa.

There is an increase in types of synthetic drugs around the world, she pointed out, adding that opioid-type synthetic drugs are causing more and more deaths, especially in North America.

The UN drugs office will share its annual report on June 27.