France, June 26 -- The world drug market has never been so globalised, active and diverse, according to the United Nations - which marks International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on Thursday. RFI takes a look at the latest trends, from the explosion of cocaine to shifting routes and new synthetic drugs.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said a "new era" of instability is fuelling organised crime and pushing drug use to "historically high levels".

In 2023, an estimated 6 percent of people aged 15 to 64 used drugs - up from 5.2 percent in 2013. Cannabis remains the most commonly used.

Cocaine use, production and seizures all hit record highs in 2023, making it the fastest-growing illegal drug market.

There were...