CCTV’s Insight: Examining the global war on drugs

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Across the globe, countries are cracking down on drug use. In Indonesia, six people were executed earlier this year after they were caught trying to smuggle drugs into the country. Indonesian prosecutors claim the country is facing an ’emergency’ over drug use. In the US, many police officers say heroin abuse is still considered a full-blown ‘crisis’. Heroin abuse in the United States has more than doubled over the past decade.

Meanwhile the southern Indian state of Kerala has the country’s highest drinking rates and leaders are working to change those statistics by closing all the bars in the state, except for inside five-star hotels.


Chinese police seize 430,000 tons of drugs, arrest 133,000

Chinese police have wrapped up what’s been called the toughest ever campaign against drug related crimes. Figures of arrests and confiscation nearly double compared to the same period last year.

CCTV News reporter Han Peng filed this report.


World regions face different drug-abuse problems

Drug abuse is a problem that impacts just about every corner of the globe. And different drugs are more popular than others around the world.

Cocaine is most prevalent in the Western world, such as in the United States, Western Europe and South America.

Meanwhile opiates, a class of drugs that includes heroin, is more common in the Middle East, where it is often grown in countries including Afghanistan.

At the same time, abuse of prescription opioids — medications meant to relieve pain — are only an extreme problem in the United States and somewhat of a problem in Australia.

Map of countries with a high use of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS)
(Interact with map to view other drug statistics)

Source: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.