Approximately seven percent of the population in the Western Hemisphere consumed marijuana during the past year; that percentage is double that of the world average, which fluctuates between 3.3 percent and 4.4 percent, and is also greater than the average in Europe, where it reaches about 5.3 percent. This and other important facts are included in the Report on the Situation of Drug Consumption in the Hemisphere , presented by the OAS Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (known by its Spanish acronym, CICAD) during its annual meeting in November in Miami.

The use of various legal and illegal drugs in the Hemisphere as well as the main challenges that the governments of the Americas face in this area are addressed in this report, the final version of which is to be published during the first few months of 2010. The information was produced by the countries themselves, in some cases with the technical and financial support of the CICAD/OAS—as was the case with various Caribbean countries--and in others with information collected in an autonomous and independent manner with equivalent methodologies.

The report will be produced periodically and is part of the work of the Inter-American Observatory on Drugs, the CICAD research branch that focuses on statistics, information and scientific research. The Observatory helps OAS Member States improve the collection and analysis of drug-related data by promoting the establishment of national observatories and the use of standardized methods and data and by providing scientific and technical training for —and the exchange of experiences among—professionals working on drug issues.

“For the first time we have reliable base-line data that allows us to spot trends in drug use, giving us a better understanding than ever before of the drug problem in the Hemisphere and its impact,” said James Mack, CICAD Executive Secretary, who also highlighted that for the first time it is possible to get information on this issue from some countries of the Hemisphere. Mack also acknowledged that “with this report the countries are better positioned than ever to make national drug policy decisions based on comprehensive, evidence-based assessments.”

Some of the information collected in this report refers to the tendencies of drug consumption in the Hemisphere; information on production, demand and treatment for drug abuse or dependency; and perceptions and impact of consumption of marijuana, cocaine, heroine and alcohol. Following are some relevant facts included in the report:

Marijuana
According to United Nations’ estimates presented in its World Drug Report 2009, between 143 and 190 million people consumed marijuana at some time in the last year. In the Americas, the number of consumers in this same period of time reached approximately 42 million people, which means that in the region there are between 22% and 29% of the total of consumers in the world; of these, some 75% are in North America (Canada, United States and Mexico).

The CICAD report also refers to different studies that show that the perception of the risk of consuming marijuana is relatively low, and the perception of the ease of access to the drug is high, as is the supply. In this context, the report calls for special attention to this type of drug, given its high rate of consumption and a growing number of cases that require treatment.

The data related to marijuana consumption underlines the differences between countries and regions. While some countries report consumption rates lower than 1% of the population between the ages 12 to 64; others have a consumption rate of greater of more than 10%. The marijuana produced and consumed today is not the same as in past decades. The rate of consumption of marijuana among students in Caribbean countries is high, exceeding even the rate of tobacco consumption.

In terms of dependency to marijuana, the CICAD report notes that approximately 25% of consumers in the last year show signs of dependence (population age 15 to 64 in five South American countries, year 2006). In the United States that dependency reaches 16% of the population age 12 and above. The report also shows a rise in the number of people in treatment centers for marijuana abuse. In the United States, for example, between 1994 and 2006 the number of cases doubled, making marijuana the drug for which there is the highest demand for treatment.

Cocaine
Between 0.4% and 0.5% of the world’s population age 15 to 64 years has reported consuming cocaine at some time in the last year. This is equivalent to between 15.6 and 20.8 million people. In the Americas, the average rate of consumption is four times the world average, reaching 1.6%, which is equivalent to approximately 9.5 million consumers. This means that of the total of cocaine users in the world approximately half are in our hemisphere. Some 75% of cocaine users are in North America, 24% in South America and less than 1% in Central America and the Caribbean.

Troubling levels of cocaine consumption are also reported among the student population. Even when there is low consumption of this drug in Caribbean countries, the rate in some countries of North and South America remains high.

Alcohol
The report notes that alcohol is widely consumed in all countries, and that its use warrants careful attention. Though there is great variability among students ages 13 to 17, in some countries the actual consumption is over 50 percent (defined as consumption in the last 30 days).

In general, alcohol consumption is greater among male students than female students, though in many countries the differences are marginal and there are even some in which use among women is reportedly greater.

Problematic consumption of alcohol affects a significant part of the population. Through the use of internationally recognized tools it is possible to determine that, depending on the country, between 5% and 18% of the adult population shows symptoms of problematic alcohol consumption.

With certain variations between countries and based on the available information, it is possible to ascertain that approximately 9% of youth and adults show signs of abuse or dependency of some drug including alcohol; which means that nearly one of every 10 people suffer this problem.

In terms of challenges, the Inter-American Observatory on Drugs concludes that with the information contained in the report it is possible to gain a better perspective on the drug problem in the Hemisphere for developing a comprehensive diagnosis to formulate anti-drug policies. Nevertheless, this information is still insufficient, and it will be essential to continue producing more and better information and research, mainly focusing on specific population groups and local communities.

December 15, 2009