Dr Péter Gaál, President of MEMT, contributed to a major international study published in Nature Medicine examining the global health burden of drug use disorders. The study analysed data from 204 countries and territories between 1990 and 2023, providing a comprehensive overview of how amphetamine, cannabis, cocaine and opioid use disorders have affected population health over time.
The findings show that the prevalence and burden of drug use disorders have increased worldwide over recent decades. The rise in opioid use disorder is particularly notable: both its prevalence and its burden nearly doubled between 1990 and 2023. Cannabis use disorder remained the most prevalent type of drug use disorder in 2023.
The research also highlights that the problem is not confined to low-income countries. In 2023, both the prevalence and the burden of drug use disorders were higher in high-income countries, particularly in the United States.
The study emphasises that drug use disorders are not merely individual problems but major public health challenges that place a substantial long-term burden on healthcare systems. According to the authors, comprehensive policy measures focusing on prevention and effective treatment are needed to reverse these adverse trends.
The study, produced through collaboration among hundreds of researchers, demonstrates that addressing global health challenges requires international cooperation, with Hungarian experts also playing an active role.
The full article in English is available here: Global burden of amphetamine, cannabis, cocaine and opioid use in 204 countries, 1990-2023: a Global Burden of Disease Study