The number of people who use narcotic drugs in the world is speeding towards 300 million.
An estimated 292 million people (5.6 percent of those between 15 and 64) were using drugs in 2022.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are 64 million individuals suffering from drug use disorders.
In 2022, in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, an estimated 6.7 percent of the population aged between 15 and 64 years used drugs, and more than 3.4 million people suffered from drug use disorders.
Despite the alarming levels of substance use, and the fact that investing in substance use treatment offers returns of between USD 4–12 for every dollar spent, in 2022, only 1 in 11 individuals with drug use disorders globally, and 1 in 13 in the Region, received treatment.
On International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, marked on 26 June, the World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted the drug trade’s devastating effects on the health and well-being of populations.
Drug use impacts security, safety, and development, costing some countries up to 2 percent of their GDP due to health-related expenses, crime, and lost productivity.
Beyond its economic burden, drug use constitutes a significant public health issue, linked to a range of health issues, including mental health conditions, hepatitis, tuberculosis, and cardiovascular diseases.
Despite these public health implications, drug use has been overwhelmingly addressed through a law enforcement and supply restriction lens, using strategies that reinforce stigma and overlook the health dimensions of the issue.
To reduce morbidity, mortality, and the social costs associated with substance use disorders, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean launched the “Regional Flagship Initiative on Accelerating Public Health Action on Substance Use” in October 2024.
The initiative aims to strengthen coordination and collaboration and prevent the initiation of substance use through evidence-based interventions such as promoting life skills education in both schools and workplaces.
Rather than relying on punitive measures, it promotes policies and regulations that prioritize evidence-based treatments and harm reduction programs across health and social care systems, and advocates for evidence-based interventions for drug use disorders to be embedded in United Health Care (UHC) prescriptions benefit packages.
To expedite implementation of the substance, use flagship initiative, the Regional Office has established a Regional Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Mental Health and Substance Use.
There is also a Regional Coalition of Civil Society Organizations for Mental Health and Substance Use Prevention to engage and empower civil society organizations, and people with lived experience of drug use disorders, to advance public health actions across the Region.
The flagship initiative calls for decisive, collective action to address one of the most urgent public health challenges of our time.
Through investments in sustainable, evidence-based solutions, we can significantly improve public health outcomes and foster social stability for future generations.
Given current resource constraints, the need for effective collaboration is greater than ever. We must join forces, align our strategies, and pursue joint actions to achieve more with less.
On the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, WHO urges governments, health organizations, and communities across the Eastern Mediterranean Region and globally to unite in combating drug use disorders.
Together, we can create a healthier future for all by ensuring that everyone, everywhere, has access to the care and support they need.
The Regional flagship initiative on accelerating public health action on substance use is a call for decisive, collective action to confront one of the most pressing public health challenges of our time.
With the right investments in sustainable, evidence-based solutions, we can significantly reduce morbidity, mortality, and the social costs associated with drug use disorders and build a more stable society.