In 2023, it was estimated that over 42 million people in the United States had used cocaine at some point in their life. The number of people in the United States who stated they had used cocaine in the past month has fluctuated over the past decade, but over two million people reported they had used cocaine in the past month as of 2023. Cocaine use among teens The percentage of U.S. students in grades 8, 10, and 12 that had used cocaine in their lifetime has gradually decreased since 1999. At that time, around 7.2 percent of students stated they had used cocaine in their lifetime, while in 2021 just 1.4 percent of students said so. Perhaps unsurprisingly, perceived availability of cocaine among 12th graders has also decreased over the past couple decades, with about 17 percent of 12th graders stating cocaine was “fairly easy” or “very easy” to get in 2021, compared to almost 55 percent who reported it was easy to get in 1990. The most common illicit drugs U.S. students in grades 8, 10, and 12 reported having used in their lifetime were marijuana, inhalants, and hallucinogens such as LSD and mushrooms. Deaths from cocaine In 2020, there were 19,447 drug poisoning deaths involving cocaine in the United States. The number of overdose deaths involving cocaine has increased significantly over the past few years as part of the ongoing opioid epidemic. Although, it is possible to die of an overdose just from using cocaine, many overdose deaths in the U.S. that involved cocaine also involved the use of opioids. The rate of overdose deaths involving cocaine is almost three times higher among men than women, but both have seen increases in the rate of overdose death in recent years. Considering race and ethnicity, the rate of overdose deaths involving cocaine is by far highest among black, non-Hispanics and lowest among Asian/Pacific Islander, non-Hispanics.

In 2021/2022, the states with the highest share of people who had used cocaine in the past year were Colorado, Vermont, the District of Columbia, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. In Colorado, around 3.06 percent of the population were estimated to have used cocaine in the past year at that time, compared to the U.S. average of 1.95 percent. The states with the lowest past-year cocaine consumption rates were New Hampshire and Wyoming. Cocaine use in the United States As of 2022, cocaine was the second most used illicit drug in the United States, behind marijuana. At that time around 42.2 million people in the U.S. had used cocaine at least once in their lifetime. In comparison, around 29.5 million people reported using LSD in their lifetime and 22.1 million had used ecstasy. In 2022, almost 5.2 million people were estimated to have used cocaine in the past year. How many people in the U.S. die from cocaine every year? The number of drug poisoning deaths involving cocaine has increased significantly over the past couple decades. In 2021, there were around 24,486 overdose deaths involving cocaine, compared to just 3,800 in the year 1999. However, it is important to note that many overdose deaths involving cocaine also involve other drugs, namely opioids. The increase in overdose deaths involving cocaine is directly related to the ongoing opioid epidemic in the United States. Rates of overdose death involving cocaine are twice as high for men than women, but death rates for both men and women have increased in recent years.

According to the latest estimates there were around 22 million cocaine users worldwide with the highest number found in the Americas. Cocaine is made from the leaves of the coca plant and is an addictive stimulant that is usually snorted as a powder. Although it is illegal in most countries it is still commonly used recreationally.

Cocaine worldwide

It is estimated that up to .5 percent of the global population has used cocaine in the past year. With so many users it is unsurprising that the illegal cocaine market is extremely lucrative. Worldwide illicit cultivation of cocaine covers some 234 thousand hectares, with most of the world’s cocaine produced in South America.

Cocaine in the United States

According to the most recent figures around 4.77 million people in the United States had used cocaine in the previous year. Moreover, around 40.9 million Americans have used cocaine at some point in their lifetime. In 2021, there were around 24,486 deaths involving cocaine in the United States, a significant rise from previous years. However, it is important to note that a large portion of deaths from cocaine involve the use of other drugs, specifically opioids.

As of 2023, the Netherlands had the highest prevalence of cocaine use in Europe at three percent of the population having used in the previous year. This was followed by Spain and Ireland, with 2.4 percent and 2.3 percent of their respective populations using cocaine in this period. Breakdown of cocaine users in the Netherlands When broken down by age, the highest prevalence of cocaine users in the Netherlands is found in early adulthood. Almost seven percent of those aged 25 to 29 years used cocaine in 2021, and around 17 percent of this age group had tried it at least once in their life.Harms of cocaine useIn 2022, over 2.6 thousand people in the Netherlands entered drug treatment as a result of cocaine use. Furthermore, in the last 15 years, the annual number of deaths due to cocaine use in the country has been steadily increasing. A new-high was reached in 2021, with 72 cocaine deaths recorded in the Netherlands.

In the past few years the number of deaths from cocaine overdose has risen in the United States, with almost 27,569 such deaths in 2022. Deaths involving cocaine are more common among males than females, with deaths among males more than double that of females in 2022. It is important to note that many overdose deaths involving cocaine also involve the use of other drugs, in particular opioids, which may contribute to death. Cocaine use Cocaine is one of the most commonly used illicit drugs in the United States. As of 2022, over 42 million people had used cocaine in their lifetime, an increase from 36.7 million in 2009. Furthermore, almost 5.3 million people in the U.S. used cocaine in the past year as of 2022. Cocaine use among teens The lifetime prevalence of cocaine use among high school students in the U.S. has decreased in recent years. As of 2022, around 1.1 percent of high school students stated they had used cocaine in their lifetime. Nevertheless, around 17.7 percent of high school students state that cocaine is “fairly easy” or “very easy” to obtain.

In 2023, over five million people in the United States had used cocaine in the past year. This statistic shows the number of people in the U.S. who have used cocaine in the past year from 2009 to 2023.

In England and Wales, the number of deaths as a result of cocaine use has been increasing significantly over the last 25 years. In 1993, there were only eleven deaths due to cocaine use in England and Wales, by 2023 the number of deaths had risen 1,118. The UK has the highest share of users in Europe In 2019, the United Kingdom had the highest prevalence of cocaine users in Europe at 2.7 percent. This was followed by Spain and the Netherlands which both had around two percent of individuals using cocaine in this period. Age of cocaine users in the UK When broken down by age, the highest prevalence of cocaine users in England and Wales can be found in the youngest age groups. Almost over six percent of those aged 15 to 24 years used cocaine in 2018, and 4.6 percent in the above age group, 25 to 34 years, used in the same year. Additionally, since 2010 the share of school children who have taken cocaine in England has increased.

A survey conducted in 2021 found that around 2.5 percent of high school students in the United States had used cocaine at least once in their lifetime. Those from an American Indian or Native Alaskan background were more likely to have tried cocaine, while Black and Asian high school students were less likely to have tried cocaine.

As of 2023/24, 10.3 percent of people in England and Wales aged between 16 and 59 had used cocaine at least once during their lifetime, compared with 5.1 percent in 2001/02. This statistic displays the share of adults in England and Wales who have taken cocaine ever in their lifetime from 2001/02 to 2023/24.

According to a survey from 2023, around 2.5 percent of U.S. college students who had ever used cocaine had used it daily or almost daily in the past 3 months. This statistic presents the percentage of college students in the U.S. who had used cocaine at some point in their life, and had used it during the past 3 months as of fall 2023, by frequency

In 2022, there were around 22 overdose deaths involving cocaine among non-Hispanic blacks in the United States per 100,000 population. This statistic shows the rate of overdose deaths involving cocaine in the U.S. from 1999 to 2022, by race/ethnicity.

In 2022, there were around 11.8 cocaine overdose deaths among men per 100,000 population, compared to a rate of 4.6 deaths per 100,000 women. This statistic shows the rate of overdose deaths involving cocaine in the U.S. from 1999 to 2022, by gender.

In 2022, 27 percent of cocaine users who entered treatment in Europe were using the drug daily, while 13 percent took cocaine between four and six days in a week. Cocaine is a stimulant that is used as a recreational drug, it is often snorted, inhaled or injected. Breakdown of use in Europe Cocaine is the second most used drug across the population of the European Union, with over five percent of all people using at some point during their lifetime. The Netherlands had the highest prevalence of cocaine use among adults in Europe in 2022 at almost 2.5 percent of adults using during the year. Followed by the Netherlands and Spain with 2.2 percent of their populations using cocaine regularly. Drug deaths in Europe  In 2020, 45 percent of those who died as a result of drug use in Europe were aged between 40 and 64 years, while 38 percent of drug deaths were among 25 to 39 year olds. Norway was the country in Europe with the highest incidence of drug deaths in 2020 at 85 per million population.  

This statistic shows the share of cocaine users in the last year in England and Wales as of 2018. In that year, the highest amount of users was observed those in those aged 15 to 24 years at 6.2 percent, while 4.6 percent of those aged between 25 and 34 years reported using cocaine.

Around .5 percent of U.S. respondents in grades 8, 10, and 12 in 2023 stated that they used cocaine within that year. This statistic shows the annual prevalence of use of cocaine for grades 8, 10, and 12 combined, from 1991 to 2023.

This statistic shows the worldwide production quantity of cocaine from 1994 to 2021. In 2021, the total production of cocaine worldwide was around 2,304 metric tons.

This statistic displays the share of the respondents who used cocaine in the Netherlands from 1997 to 2022, by frequency of use. In 1997, approximately three percent of respondents reported to have used cocaine at least once in their lives. By 2022, this had increased to over six percent.

According to a survey carried out in Colombia at the end of 2019, around two percent of respondents claimed having consumed cocaine at least once in their lifetime. Meanwhile, roughly 0.3 percent of Colombian interviewees reported having used this illegal substance at least once in the 30 days prior to the survey.

This statistic shows the rate of overdose deaths involving cocaine in the U.S. in 2016 and 2017, by age. In 2017, there were around 7.6 cocaine overdose deaths among those aged 25 to 34 years per 100,000 population.

This statistic shows the share of cocaine users in the last year in Romania as of 2016, by age group. In this year, 0.4 percent of those aged 45 to 54 years were recorded as using cocaine, the highest share across the age groups in Romania.