Half a million dead, 1 in 12 treated

Almost half a million people died from drug use in 2023, driven by infectious disease, untreated addiction and the spread of synthetic drugs more potent than anything markets have seen before, according to the new report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. Only 1 in 23 women with a drug use disorder receives treatment, against 1 in 9 men. Health Policy Watch picks out key drug issues.