Commission on Narcotic Drugs
Fifty-fifth session
Vienna, 12-16 March 2012
Item 6 (a) of the provisional agenda*

Implementation of the Political Declaration and Plan of Action on International Cooperation towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug Problem: demand reduction and related measures.

Summary:
The present report summarizes the most current information available to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime on the illicit demand for drugs throughout the world and the promotion of rehabilitation- and reintegration-oriented strategies in response to drug use disorders and their consequences. It has been prepared pursuant to the international drug control conventions, as well as
Commission on Narcotic Drugs resolutions 53/16 and 54/5.

Compared with the estimates for 2008, there does not appear to have been a significant change in the prevalence and number of people using illicit drugs in 2009. Worldwide, it is estimated that between 3.4 and 6.2 per cent of people aged 15-64 years, or between 149 million and 272 million people, had used an illicit drug at least once in the preceding year. Global emerging trends are outlined in section I, which provides context with regard to drug use. Section II provides regional summaries. Section III provides an overview of efforts made by Member States to promote rehabilitationand reintegration-oriented strategies in response to drug use disorders and their consequences. Section IV includes conclusions and recommendations.