Deaths linked to cocaine are increasing in Brazil, warns UN report

Deaths linked to cocaine use have grown considerably since 2020 in Brazil, as has the number of drug seizures, according to the 2026 World Drug Report released by the UN (United Nations) this Friday (26).

The report, prepared by UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime), works as an assessment that provides scientific evidence on global trends in drug production, trafficking and consumption, as well as their impacts on health and safety.

According to the UN, the global drug market has grown and spread rapidly. "And we are already suffering the impact: millions of premature deaths and years of healthy life unnecessarily lost; drug trafficking networks that distort economies [...] and worsening insecurity and violence", says Monica Juma, Executive Director of UNODC.

Brazil has recorded a considerable increase in cocaine-related mortality since 2020. This trend is accompanied by the growth in quantities of cocaine seized in South America.

The graph below, titled "Deaths attributed to cocaine use disorders, Brazil and total amounts of reported cocaine seizures in South America" shows the relationship between the number of deaths (represented by the bars) and cocaine seizures (represented by the line). The pink areas of the bars represent deaths of women, while the blue areas represent deaths of men.

Deaths attributed to cocaine use are linked to the high availability of the drug - Divulga/UN - World Drug Report 2026
From 1996 to 2005, on the other hand, the number of deaths in Brazil from disorders linked to cocaine remained low and stable, generally fluctuating below 50 cases per year, while seizures in South America were also lower.

The period from 2018 to 2023 is the most critical on the graph, in which the yellow line of seizures reaches its peak, approaching 1,300 tons of drugs seized on the continent. Mortality in Brazil breaks historical records, approaching 270 deaths recorded in a single year.

Based on the analysis of the numbers, the report directly associates the deaths recorded with the high availability of the substance in Brazil and nearby countries.

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World drug consumption
The estimate revealed in the report indicates that 331 million people will use some drug in 2024, which corresponds to 6.2% of the global population aged between 15 and 64, compared to 5.2% in 2014.

Cannabis remains the most used drug, with 256 million users in 2024, followed by opioids (63 million), amphetamines (32 million), cocaine (25 million) and ecstasy (21 million).

Cannabis production, trafficking and use are evolving, likely due to ongoing changes in perceptions regarding the drug at a time when many countries have adopted legalization or decriminalization policies.

According to the UN, illicit drug manufacturers continue to invent new synthetic drugs to evade regulations and avoid detection, with five times more types of drugs found in seizures in 2024 than in the year 2000.

The number of NPS (New Psychoactive Substances), for example, reached 755 in 2024, with 118 of these substances being reported in the year 2000.

Another global issue is methamphetamine, as, with new trafficking routes and the gradual spread of methamphetamine production, traffickers have created new markets for the drug, mainly in the Near and Middle East, Africa and parts of Europe.

Meth seizures grew by an average of 13% per year, an increase driven largely by quantities in East and Southeast Asia. Myanmar is the main country of origin for methamphetamine, but high demand has also attracted suppliers from North America, West and Southern Africa, and Southwest Asia.

The UN warns the population that drug use can be associated with crimes against property, violence within families and social groups, and the victimization of those who use drugs. However, for effective interventions, broader factors must be considered, such as the context of drug use and the personal history of those involved, such as poverty, homelessness, mental health, and the potential lack of access to drug treatment and social services.

*Under the supervision of Felipe Andrade

Source: CNN