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The prevalence of non-medical use of opioids and tranquillizers by women remains at a comparable level to that of men, if not actually higher, according to United Nations Information Center a press release citing the World Drug Report a copy of which was made available by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on Wednesday.
The report also showed while women may typically begin using substances later than men, once they have initiated substance use, women tend to increase their rate of consumption of alcohol, cannabis, cocaine and opioids more rapidly than men as well as rapidly develop drug use disorders.
'Drug use among the older generation (aged 40 years and older) has been increasing at a faster rate than among those who are younger. This, although there is only limited data available, requires attention,' the report found.
'People who went through adolescence at a time when drugs were popular and widely available are more likely to have tried drugs and, possibly, to have continued using them,' it said.
“The findings of this year’s World Drug Report show that drug markets are expanding, with cocaine and opium production hitting absolute record highs, presenting multiple challenges on multiple fronts,” said UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov.
He highlighted that “UNODC is committed to working with countries to seek balanced, integrated solutions to drug challenges and achieve progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Also, looking at vulnerabilities of various age groups, the report found that drug use and the associated harm are the highest among young people compared to older people. Most research suggests that early (12–14 years) to late (15–17 years) adolescence is a critical risk period for the initiation of substance use and may peak among young people (aged 18-25 years).
'Most of the world’s cocaine comes from Colombia while the report also suggests that 'Africa and Asia are emerging as cocaine trafficking and consumption hubs.'
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