June 26th marks the 29th International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. According to this year's World Drug Report issued by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, around five per cent of the adult population, that's nearly 250 million people, used at least one drug in 2014.

The report also shows drug users aged between 15 and 64 have increased from 27 million to 29 million. Of these 29 million users, around 17 million are addicted to opiates, which includes heroin, opium and morphine. Asia remains the world's largest market for opiates, accounting for around two thirds of all users.

The report stresses the urgency to combat the global drugs problem, and says sustainable development is a key measure.