UN Global Cocaine Report: Where Does Lebanon Rank?
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has published the Global Report on Cocaine 2023 detailing the production, distribution, and consumption of the white powder around the world. Let’s see where Lebanon fits into all of this.
The UNODC Global Report on Cocaine 2023 is out!
Global supply of cocaine is at record levels, with a similar rise in demand.
According to the report, “the global supply of cocaine is at record levels,” with coca bush cultivation expanding and the market recovering from the pandemic slump. The majority of production can be found in Colombia, with Peru and Bolivia falling shortly behind.
The majority of consumption is in North America and Western & Central Europe, accounting for 30% and 21% respectively. The Middle East, categorized as Western and Central Asia, only accounts for 1% of global consumption.
UN’s research indicates that cocaine enjoys a complementary relationship with other drugs such as cannabis and ecstasy, but is in direct competition with meth. Cocaine is mainly trafficked through air and sea.
But enough about the general dynamics of cocaine traffic, and let’s get into the nitty gritty of Lebanon. Lebanon ranks as one of the top two domestic cocaine markets in the region, with the UN report citing a 15% cocaine disorder treatment rate. Lebanon is also considered to be a transit country for the incoming of cocaine into the region.
Outside of our 10,452 borders, Lebanon continues to shine on the international stage as Lebanese organizations and nationals make up a significant number of those involved in the global cocaine trade. One example from the UN reports cites the presence of Lebanese criminal groups at the port of Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire.
Unfortunately, no official full list rankings exist for us to hang our hats on, but rest assuredly, we may have a collapsing economy and one of the worst performing currencies in the world, but our performance in the cocaine market (for such a small country) is nothing short of exemplary. See you all in next year’s cocaine report.
