Despite more than half a century of prohibition, with more than a trillion dollars spent, illicit drug use across the world has not been brought under control.

The July 2024 National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program revealed that MDMA and cocaine usage has surged since 2022, reaching their highest level since 2020. In 2023, methylamphetamine consumption in national capital cities peaked. Globally, the UN reports that the number of people who use drugs has risen to 292 million in 2022, showing 20% increase over the past 10 years.

These are damning statistics, particularly when weighed against the economic and human costs of prohibition.