E/CN.7/594 Page 30
Summary of main trends and patterns of drug abuse in the world
152. The main trends and patterns of drug abuse in the world may be summarized as follows: (i) an upward trend in heroin addiction; (ii) an over-all widespread. abuse of cannabis a considerable number of cannabis offences reported and growing amounts of liquid cannabis seized; (iii) an increase in cocaine abuse mainly in the Americas and Europe; (iv) an increasing abuse of psychotropic substances, mostly sedative hypnotics and amphetamines; (v) abuse of methaqualone, amphetamines and hallucinogens predominantly by young people; (vi) multiple drug abuse emerging as the most common pattern of drug baking; (vii) use of traditional drugs opium, cannabis and coca leaf - persisting in a number of countries; and (viii) in countries where opium is traditionally consumed by middle-aged and older people, the situation becoming complicated by the rapidly increasing abuse of heroin among young people in urban areas.
Opiate type
This also Abuse of other
153. Most countries of the world are confronted with serious problems of addiction to opiates. The increasing abuse of heroin by young people (smoking and injection) in urban areas is the pattern which causes great concern, particularly in the Americas, Asia and the Far East, Europe and the Near and Middle East. applies to the abuse of morphine though to a much lesser extent. opiates, mainly synthetic narcotics (methadone, pethidine) is spreading in most regions of the world. These trends are also indicated by the quantities of opiates seized, the number of offences involving these drugs, and other related problems. Traditional opium consumption still persists in many countries of Asia and the Far East and in the Near and Middle East both in rural and urban populations, mostly among middle-aged and older people in the lower income groups. use of heroin is associated with serious health problems, such as death from an overdose or hepatitis, as well as social problems such as criminality and deviant, anti-social behaviour.
Cannabis type
Intravenous
While its abuse has 154. Cannabis is the most widely abused drug in all regions. spread in recent years among young people in urban areas, its traditional consumption is persistent and prevalent in many countries among different age groups in both rural and urban areas. Cannabis is the drug most commonly taken in combination with alcohol or other drugs. The considerable number of drug offences involving cannabis and the impressive amounts seized, particularly liquid cannabis, also indicate the growing magnitude of cannabis-related problems.
Cocaine type
155. The large number of persons chewing coca leaves constitutes considerable socio-economic and public health problems for some Andean countries of South America.
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