The Russian attack on Ukraine could lead to further negative consequences for Europe and the world. The United Nations has warned of an increase in drug production in the war-torn country. At the same time, the conflict could also become a problem for drug smugglers.
According to the United Nations, the Ukraine war could lead to an increase in drug production. Conflict regions act like a "magnet" for the production of synthetic drugs, writes the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna in its annual report. "This effect may be greater when the conflict region is near major hypermarkets."
According to the UNODC, the number of drug laboratories for the production of amphetamines closed by the authorities in Ukraine has risen sharply in recent years, from 17 in 2019 to 79 in 2020. This was the highest number of closed amphetamine laboratories in the world.
As the war continues, the number of drug labs could increase further. "There is no police patrolling and stopping laboratories," said UNODC expert Angela Me, referring to conflict zones. However, according to the report, the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine could also lead to drug smuggling routes being disrupted or postponed.
Afghanistan produces 86 percent of the world's opium
Meanwhile, according to the UN experts, the development of the market for opium-based drugs such as heroin depends on the situation in the crisis-ridden Afghanistan. 86 percent of the world's opium was produced there last year.
According to the UNODC report, the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan could lead to increased poppy cultivation, even though the ruling Taliban banned cultivation in April. "Changes in opium production in Afghanistan will impact opiate markets in all regions of the world," the UNODC report said.
According to the information, an estimated 284 million people used drugs worldwide last year. This means that every 18th person between the ages of 15 and 64 took drugs.
