Their profits are small and can be offset by economic development in the growing areas. The main challenge lies in addressing the damage done by drug trafficking and by drug abuse itself. The abuse of drugs has also gone through a globalization process. Highest rates of heroin use are now in developing countries. The current wave of abuse of amphetamine-type stimulants, produced mostly in Europe, is a truly global affair.
Drugs now move around the world in all directions.
Drugs are abused in the countries of origin, along trafficking routes and in the destination countries. The profits from drug trafficking are enormous. The mass of money generated is used in many cases to finance armed conflicts and terrorism. Thirty on-going armed conflicts are to a significant extent funded by illicit drugs. Drug trafficking takes a terrible human toll as well.