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The Conversation
Ian Hamilton, Honorary Fellow, Department of Health Sciences, University of York

Addicted: how the world got hooked on illicit drugs – and why we need to view this as a global threat like climate change

Alex Solyanik/Shutterstock

It has taken decades for some to accept the devastating effects of climate change on our planet. Despite scientific evidence that was available years ago, many people were reluctant to make the connection between increasing use of fossil fuels, rising global temperatures and devastating weather events.

A key reason for this reluctance is the dislocation of cause and effect, both in time and geography. And here there are clear parallels with another deadly human activity that is causing increasing levels of suffering across the planet: the production, trafficking and consumption of illicit drugs. Here are some troubling “highlights” from the UN’s latest World Drugs Report:

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