The world’s biggest consumers of cocaine have been revealed, with the UK in a surprising spot.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) compiled a global league table of cocaine use based on the latest data from 36 countries. It reveals the number of people in the population who take cocaine at least once a year.
In the top position was Australia, with 4.2 percent of the population (one in 25 people) taking the drug. The soaring cost of alcoholic drinks in Australia and the falling cost of cocaine have contributed to it being an affordable alternative.
The UK came in second, with 2.7 percent of people (one in 40) taking cocaine. High usage is thought to be fuelled by the British drinking culture.
Data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics shows deaths involving cocaine have increased eight-fold over the past decade, and have risen for ten consecutive years.
In third was Austria (2.5 percent), fourth was Spain (2.5 percent) and fifth was the United States (2.4 percent). Usage is also particularly high in Ireland, Canada and the Netherlands, with just over two percent of the population taking the illicit drug.
As for the types of people that take cocaine, the study found that it is widely used regardless of social class due to its dwindling price and increased availability. The study found that men are more than twice as likely to be users than women.
The OECD report warns: “Drug use is linked with, or complicates responses to, a wide range of today’s most pressing health and social issues. Among these are mental health issues, self-harm, homelessness, youth criminality and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals.”
The countries with the lowest cocaine usage in the world include Indonesia, Japan and India.
Here are the 15 countries that consume the most cocaine in the world
