Cocaine is a powerful stimulant drug derived from the leaves of the coca plant, and its use spans the globe, presenting complex public health challenges. Quantifying the number of people addicted to cocaine is difficult, requiring a distinction between use, misuse, and a clinical disorder, alongside navigating limitations in data collection. Official statistics track both the overall number of people who use cocaine and the smaller subset who meet the criteria for a substance use disorder. This article examines the current statistical landscape, focusing on global and United States prevalence rates.
Defining Cocaine Use and Addiction
Public health statistics rely on precise clinical definitions to distinguish between use and addiction. Cocaine use refers simply to the consumption of the substance, while misuse suggests a pattern of use that is harmful or hazardous. Addiction is formally recognized as a Cocaine Use Disorder (CUD).
A CUD is diagnosed when a person meets a specific number of criteria within a 12-month period, as outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). These criteria include impaired control over use, social problems, risky use, and physical dependence such as tolerance and withdrawal. The disorder is classified as mild, moderate, or severe based on the number of criteria met. Official prevalence figures count individuals who meet these metrics for a past-year CUD.
Measuring Global Prevalence
International bodies monitor cocaine consumption to understand the scale of the global drug market. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODOC) estimated that 25 million people worldwide used cocaine in 2023, up from 23 million users in 2022. The cocaine market is currently the fastest-growing major drug market globally.
Global use is not evenly distributed, with the highest prevalence rates found in the Americas, particularly North America. A precise global number for Cocaine Use Disorder is not readily available, but the overall number of people suffering from any drug use disorder worldwide was estimated at 64 million in 2022. Furthermore, an estimated 73% of cocaine users globally are male.
United States Prevalence and Demographics
In the United States, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) provides comprehensive annual data on substance use prevalence, tracking individuals aged 12 or older. In 2023, an estimated 5.0 million people (1.8% of the population aged 12 or older) reported using cocaine in the past year.
Approximately 1.4 million people in the United States met the diagnostic criteria for a Cocaine Use Disorder in the past 12 months, representing the estimated population struggling with addiction. Demographics show males report a higher past-year use rate (2.4%) compared to females (1.2%).
Usage also varies across age groups. Cocaine use is relatively low among adolescents aged 12 to 17 (0.2%), but the rate climbs to 1.9% among the adult population. Young adults aged 18 to 25 are generally the most common age group for substance use disorders.
Data Limitations and Reporting Challenges
Official statistics on cocaine use and addiction, both globally and in the U.S., are best understood as conservative estimates rather than absolute counts. A primary challenge is the reliance on self-reporting in surveys like the NSDUH, where the illicit nature and social stigma associated with cocaine can lead to underreporting.
Standard national surveys often exclude high-risk populations disproportionately affected by Substance Use Disorders, such as individuals who are incarcerated, homeless, or institutionalized. This means the true prevalence in the overall population is likely higher than reported. Furthermore, epidemiological methods using indirect data sources, like treatment admissions, carry inherent statistical uncertainties.