France launches nationwide anti‑narcotics campaign as global drug use spikes

On 29 June 2026 the French government unveiled a national anti‑narcotics campaign titled “On paie tous le prix de la drogue”. The slogan, displayed on posters and TV spots, stresses that drug consumption burdens society with an estimated €7.7 billion social cost, 367 homicides linked to trafficking in 2024 and millions of users – about 5 million for cannabis and 1.1 million for cocaine in 2025.

A UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) world‑drug report released in 2026 records 331 million people aged 15‑64 using illicit substances, a rise to 6.2 % of the global population. Cannabis remains the most used drug, but synthetic substances are proliferating: 755 new psycho‑active compounds were identified in 2024, including potent fentanyl analogues.

Regional authorities are responding. La Réunion’s health agency announced a 60‑action plan focused on prevention, border controls and public communication. In Belgium, a podcast organised by the “Libres, Ensemble” initiative debated the balance between public‑health‑oriented drug policies and security‑driven approaches, citing prison overcrowding linked to drug‑related offenses.

In West Africa, Senegalese officials reported the incineration of thousands of kilograms of seized cocaine, cannabis, ecstasy and other substances during a ceremony in Dakar, highlighting ongoing interdiction efforts.

Academic and civil‑society actors also mobilised. The University of Mauritius and the National Agency for Drug Control held a multidisciplinary workshop urging students to adopt drug‑free campuses, noting that three‑quarters of drug‑related hospital admissions involve young adults. A tribute in Burkina Faso warned that marginalisation and social rupture drive youth drug abuse. Meanwhile, a Swiss opinion piece argued that prohibition has failed and called for regulated markets for stimulants.