Illicit Drugs

This annual publication provides technical information on the licit movement of the internationally controlled narcotic drugs. The relevant 1961 Convention establishes strict controls on the cultivation of opium poppy, coca bush, cannabis plant and their products, which, in the Convention, are described as “narcotic drugs”; (although cocaine is a stimulant drug rather than one that induces sleep). Control is exercised over 136 narcotic drugs, mainly natural products, such as opium and its derivatives, morphine, codeine and heroin, but also synthetic drugs, such as methadone and pethidine, as well as cannabis and coca leaf. The production and distribution of controlled substances must be licensed and supervised, and governments must provide estimates and statistical returns on the quantities of drugs required, manufactured and utilized and the quantities seized by police and customs officers.

On an annual basis the Psychotropics Control Section of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) secretariat publishes a technical report that provides an overview of the worldwide licit manufacture, export, import, stocks and consumption of substances controlled under the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971. In addition to providing specific figures for movements of many scheduled substances the report includes commentary on emerging and ongoing trends in the licit market for psychotropic substances under international control.

This report provides a detailed analysis of the rapidly evolving organized crime landscape and related drivers. It highlights how foreign criminal groups are capitalizing on the region’s geographic isolation, infiltrating legitimate businesses and using new technologies to advance their illicit operations while evading law enforcement. The report reveals that foreign crime syndicates, primarily from Asia and the Americas, are exploiting the Pacific’s strategic location to traffic illicit drugs and other contraband. The region’s isolation, once considered a barrier, now provides these groups with opportunities to operate in less-patrolled waters, facilitating large-scale shipments through ship-to-ship transfers. UNODC’s research also brings to the forefront the alarming rise in methamphetamine use across several Pacific countries, particularly Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Tonga, posing significant public health risks. The report calls for enhanced regional collaboration and coordination among Pacific Island Countries and Territories, noting that limited resources and capacities make it difficult for these nations to tackle transnational crime alone.

A global reference on drug markets, trends and policy developments, the World Drug Report offers a wealth of data and analysis and in 2025 comprises several elements tailored to different audiences. Key findings provide an overview of selected findings from the analysis presented in Drug market patterns and trends and the thematic chapters of Contemporary issues on drugs, while Special points of interest offer a framework for the main takeaways and policy implications that can be drawn from those findings. The World Drug Report 2025 is aimed not only at fostering greater international cooperation to counter the impact of the world drug problem on health, governance and security, but also at assisting Member States in anticipating and addressing threats posed by drug markets and mitigating their consequences.