In 2023, French authorities seized 23.5 tonnes of cocaine, a dramatic increase from 4.1 tonnes in 2010, highlighting a surge in global cocaine production.

The number of people in France acknowledging cocaine use nearly doubled between 2022 and 2023, reaching 1.1 million users according to the French Observatory for Drugs and Addictive Trends (OFDT).

The report titled 'Drogues et addictions, chiffres clés' sheds light on the demand, supply, and public responses regarding drug use in France.

France now ranks seventh in Europe for cocaine consumption, with the purity of cocaine increasing significantly from 46% in 2011 to 73% in 2023.

Despite the rising purity, the price of cocaine has remained relatively stable, increasing only from 60 euros to 66 euros per gram over the same period.

Cannabis continues to be the most consumed drug in France, with approximately 5 million users in 2023, including 1.4 million regular users and 900,000 daily consumers.

The use of MDMA and ecstasy has surged from 400,000 to 750,000 users between 2019 and 2023, while heroin experimentation has increased to 850,000 users.

Ivana Obradovic, deputy director of OFDT, noted that changes in working conditions have driven professionals in high-pressure jobs to use cocaine as a coping mechanism.

Changing societal attitudes have contributed to cocaine's normalization, with the drug now perceived as less dangerous compared to two decades ago.

Young adults have shown the highest increases in drug experimentation and usage rates, reflecting broader trends in substance use.

Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru produced 2,700 tonnes of cocaine in 2022, more than double the 1,134 tonnes produced in 2010.

The illegal drug trade in France is estimated to generate between 3.5 and 6 billion euros annually, with the social costs of drug use estimated at 7.7 billion euros.