Cocaine production has risen to a record high as worldwide demand has increased after the lifting of restrictive measures introduced due to the covid-19 pandemic, according to a new United Nations (UN) report.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime announced that the cultivation of coca in 2020 and 2021 increased by a record 35 percent, reports the BBC.
Europe and North America are the largest markets for cocaine, followed by South and Central America and the Caribbean.
While the report said markets in Africa and Asia "remain limited", the UN's Gada Vali said the potential for market expansion was a "dangerous reality".
The Global Cocaine Report states that the increase in production is the result of the expansion of coca cultivation.
The covid-19 pandemic has disrupted drug markets as movement has been restricted to prevent the spread of the virus. The demand for cocaine then dropped as nightclubs and bars were closed.
"However, the latest data suggest that this decline has had little impact on long-term trends. The global supply of cocaine is at record levels," the report said.
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