26 June 2025, Cairo, Egypt – On International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, marked on 26 June, the World Health Organization (WHO) is highlighting the drug trade’s devastating effects on the health and well-being of populations.
Drug use impacts security, safety, and development, costing some countries up to 2% of their GDP due to health-related expenses, crime, and lost productivity. Beyond its economic burden, drug use constitutes a significant public health issue, linked to a range of health issues, including mental health conditions, hepatitis, tuberculosis, and cardiovascular diseases. Despite these public health implications, drug use has been overwhelmingly addressed through a law enforcement and supply restriction lens, using strategies that reinforce stigma and overlook the health dimensions of the issue.
Globally, an estimated 292 million people (5.6% of those between 15 and 64) used drugs in 2022. There are 64 million individuals suffering from drug use disorders. In 2022, in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, an estimated 6.7% of the population aged between 15 and 64 years used drugs, and more than 3.4 million people suffered from drug use disorders.
Despite the alarming levels of substance use, and the fact that investing in substance use treatment offers returns of between US$ 4–12 for every dollar spent, in 2022, only 1 in 11 individuals with drug use disorders globally, and 1 in 13 in the Region, received treatment.
To reduce morbidity, mortality, and the social costs associated with substance use disorders, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean launched the “Regional Flagship Initiative on
