Countries with the highest drug consumption
- Drug use and addiction is a worldwide problem that has deep roots and wide consequences. The issue goes back ages, but with globalization in place, drug access has greatly spread its tentacles. To help assess the issue, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime collects information about the prevalence of drug use in different countries, using local data available. Use is calculated as percentage of the population aged between 15 and 64 who has used any of the following drugs in a year: cocaine, cannabis, amphetamine, "Ecstasy"-type substances, opioids, and opiates, though the latter two can overlap depending on how each country classifies individual drugs.
Click through the gallery to see the rankings.
© Shutterstock
1 / 67 Fotos
Cocaine - The following countries rank highest for cocaine use.
© Shutterstock
2 / 67 Fotos
10. Brazil - Percentage of users in population: 1% in 2016, up from 0.70% in 2005.
© Shutterstock
3 / 67 Fotos
9. South Africa - Percentage of users in population: 1.02% in 2011, up from 0.78% in 2008.
© Shutterstock
4 / 67 Fotos
8. Iceland - Percentage of users in population: 1.06% in 2015, up from 0.92% in 2011.
© Shutterstock
5 / 67 Fotos
7. France - Percentage of users in population: 1.1% in 2014, up from 0.88% in 2010.
© Shutterstock
6 / 67 Fotos
6. Bermuda - Percentage of users in population: 1.3% in 2009, the only result listed.
© Shutterstock
7 / 67 Fotos
5. Canada - Percentage of users in population: 1.46% in 2015, up from 1.1% in 2013.
© Shutterstock
8 / 67 Fotos
4. Chile - Percentage of users in population: 1.73% in 2014, up from 1.21% in 2012.
© Shutterstock
9 / 67 Fotos
3. Uruguay - Percentage of users in population: 1.8% in 2014, down from 2.10% in 2011.
© Shutterstock
10 / 67 Fotos
2. United States - Percentage of users in population: 2.3% in 2016, up from 2.1% in 2015.
© Shutterstock
11 / 67 Fotos
1. Albania - Percentage of users in population: 2.5% in 2014, up from 0.78% in 2006.
© Shutterstock
12 / 67 Fotos
Cannabis - The following countries rank highest for cannabis use.
© Shutterstock
13 / 67 Fotos
10. Uruguay - Percentage of users in population: 9.3% in 2014, up from 8.3% in 2011.
© Shutterstock
14 / 67 Fotos
9. Zambia - Percentage of users in population: 9.5% in 2004, down from 17.70% in 2003.
© Shutterstock
15 / 67 Fotos
8. Australia - Percentage of users in population: 10.2% in 2013, down from 10.3% in 2010.
© Shutterstock
16 / 67 Fotos
7. New Zealand - Percentage of users in population: 11% in 2013, down from 14.6% in 2008.
© Shutterstock
17 / 67 Fotos
6. France - Percentage of users in population: 11.1% in 2014, up from 8.4% in 2010.
© Shutterstock
18 / 67 Fotos
5. Czech Republic - Percentage of users in population: 11.4% in 2014, up from 8.9% in 2013.
© Shutterstock
19 / 67 Fotos
4. Chile - Percentage of users in population: 11.83% in 2014, up from 7.47% in 2012.
© Shutterstock
20 / 67 Fotos
3. Nigeria - Percentage of users in population: 14.3% in 2008, the only year available.
© Shutterstock
21 / 67 Fotos
2. Canada - Percentage of users in population: 14.73% in 2015, up from 12.70% in 2013.
© Shutterstock
22 / 67 Fotos
1. United States - Percentage of users in population: 16.5% in 2015, up from 16.2% in 2014.
© Shutterstock
23 / 67 Fotos
Amphetamines - The following countries rank highest for consumption of amphetamines, including prescription stimulants.
© Shutterstock
24 / 67 Fotos
9. Germany (tied) - Percentage of users in population: 1.1% in 2015, up from 0.7% in 2012.
© Shutterstock
25 / 67 Fotos
9. Finland (tied) - Percentage of users in population: 1.1% in 2014, up from 0.8% in 2010.
© Shutterstock
26 / 67 Fotos
8. Panama - Percentage of users in population: 1.2% in 2003, the only data available.
© Shutterstock
27 / 67 Fotos
7. Netherlands - Percentage of users in population: 1.3% in 2014, up from 0.4% in 2009.
© Shutterstock
28 / 67 Fotos
6. Belize - Percentage of users in population: 1.35% in 2005, the only data available.
© Shutterstock
29 / 67 Fotos
5. Laos - Percentage of users in population: 1.39% in 2008, the only data available.
© Shutterstock
30 / 67 Fotos
3. Thailand (tied) - Percentage of users in population: 1.4% in 2007, the only data available.
© Shutterstock
31 / 67 Fotos
3. Nigeria (tied) - Percentage of users in population: 1.4% in 2008, up from 1.05% in 1999.
© Shutterstock
32 / 67 Fotos
2. Australia - Percentage of users in population: 2.1% in 2013, which has remained stable since 2011.
© Shutterstock
33 / 67 Fotos
1. United States - Percentage of users in population: 2.9% in 2015, up from 1.7% in 2014.
© Shutterstock
34 / 67 Fotos
"Ecstasy"-type substances - The following countries rank highest for use of "Ecstasy"-type drugs.
© Shutterstock
35 / 67 Fotos
10. Lebanon - Percentage of users in population: 1% in 2009, up from 0.5% in 2001.
© Shutterstock
36 / 67 Fotos
9. Finland - Percentage of users in population: 1.1% in 2014, up from 0.4% in 2010.
© Shutterstock
37 / 67 Fotos
6. Estonia (tied) - Percentage of users in population: 1.2% in 2008, down from 1.7% in 2003.
© Shutterstock
38 / 67 Fotos
6. Bulgaria (tied) - Percentage of users in population: 1.2% in 2012, up to 0.7% in 2008.
© Shutterstock
39 / 67 Fotos
6. United States - Percentage of users in population: 1.2% in 2015, up from 1.1% in 2014.
© Shutterstock
40 / 67 Fotos
5. England and Wales - Percentage of users in population: 1.5% in 2015/16, down from 1.7% in 2014/15.
© Shutterstock
41 / 67 Fotos
4. Scotland - Percentage of users in population: 1.7% for both 2012/13 and 2014/15.
© Shutterstock
42 / 67 Fotos
3. New Zealand - Percentage of users in population: 2% in 2013, down from 2.6% in 2008.
© Shutterstock
43 / 67 Fotos
1. Australia (tied) - Percentage of users in population: 2.5% in 2013, down from 3% in 2010.
© Shutterstock
44 / 67 Fotos
1. Netherlands (tied) - Percentage of users in population: 2.5% in 2014, up from 1.4% in 2009.
© Shutterstock
45 / 67 Fotos
Opioids - The following countries rank highest for use of opioids, including heroin, opiates, and prescriptions opioids.
© Shutterstock
46 / 67 Fotos
10. Kazakhstan - Percentage of users in population: 1% in 2006, the only data available.
© Shutterstock
47 / 67 Fotos
9. Georgia - Percentage of users in population: 1.36% in 2010, up from 0.58% in 2006.
© Shutterstock
48 / 67 Fotos
8. Maldives - Percentage of users in population: 1.46% in 2012, the only data available.
© Shutterstock
49 / 67 Fotos
7. Estonia - Percentage of users in population: 1.53% in 2008, the only data available.
© Shutterstock
50 / 67 Fotos
6. Russia - Percentage of users in population: 2.36% in 2015, up from 2.29% in 2010.
© Shutterstock
51 / 67 Fotos
5. Pakistan - Percentage of users in population: 2.4% in 2012, up from 0.7% from 2006.
© Shutterstock
52 / 67 Fotos
4. Afghanistan - Percentage of users in population: 2.92% in 2009, the only data available.
© Shutterstock
53 / 67 Fotos
3. Australia - Percentage of users in population: 3.3% in 2013, down from 3.4% in 2010.
© Shutterstock
54 / 67 Fotos
2. Serbia - Percentage of users in population: 5.15% in 2014, the only data available.
© Shutterstock
55 / 67 Fotos
1. United States - Percentage of users in population: 6% in 2015, up from 5.41% in 2014.
© Shutterstock
56 / 67 Fotos
Opiates - The following countries rank highest for use of opiates, which includes morphine, codeine, and could include heroin, depending on how the country codes the drug.
© Shutterstock
57 / 67 Fotos
10. Malaysia - Percentage of users in population: 0.94% in 2009, the only data available.
© Shutterstock
58 / 67 Fotos
9. Kazakhstan - Percentage of users in population: 1.03% in 2015, up from 0.89% in 2006.
© Shutterstock
59 / 67 Fotos
8. Pakistan - Percentage of users in population: 1% in 2012, up from 0.57% in 2006.
© Shutterstock
60 / 67 Fotos
7. Maldives - Percentage of users in population: 1.34% in 2012, the only data available.
© Shutterstock
61 / 67 Fotos
6. Russia - Percentage of users in population: 1.44% in 2015, up from 1.4% in 2010.
© Shutterstock
62 / 67 Fotos
5. Azerbaijan - Percentage of users in population: 1.5% in 2010, up from 0.2% from 2008.
© Shutterstock
63 / 67 Fotos
4. Scotland - Percentage of users in population: 1.51% in 2012/13, down from 1.52% in 2009/10.
© Shutterstock
64 / 67 Fotos
3. Iran - Percentage of users in population: 2.26% in 2010, the only data available.
© Shutterstock
65 / 67 Fotos
2. Seychelles - Percentage of users in population: 2.3% in 2011, the only data available.
© Shutterstock
66 / 67 Fotos
1. Afghanistan - Percentage of users in population: 2.65% in 2009, up from 1.4% in 2005.
© Shutterstock
67 / 67 Fotos
Countries with the highest drug consumption
Ranked by type of drug
© Shutterstock

02/07/18 | StarsInsider
LIFESTYLE Drugs
Click through the gallery to see the rankings.
MOST READ
- Last Hour
- Last Day
- Last Week
-
1
LIFESTYLE fashion
Meghan Markle puts Canadian fashion on the map
-
2
CELEBRITY Plane Crash
Fallen stars: celebrities who perished in air crashes
-
3
CELEBRITY Politics
'Bachelorette' contestant may run in Australian federal election
-
4
TRAVEL Walks
Breathtaking hikes to try all over the world
-
5
CELEBRITY Janis Joplin
27 Facts about Janis Joplin you need to know
-
6
TRAVEL canada
The most common myths and misconceptions aboot Canada, eh
COMMENTS