Number of current registered drug users in China 2018-2022

In 2022, there were 1.12 million registered users of illicit drugs in China, representing a drop of almost 25 percent from the previous year. Stringent controls, harsh punishments, and tighter border controls since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic seems to have lowered the number of drug users and drug-related arrests in China, more than halving since 2018.

China’s stringent narcotics laws

Due to historical reasons, China has some of the world's most stringent narcotics legislations, with the smuggling, trafficking, transportation and manufacturing of illicit drugs being subjected to capital punishment. Although the personal use of narcotics is no longer a criminal offense, addicts are usually sent to specialized rehabilitation facilities for compulsory treatment. Despite the gradual relaxation of drug control laws on certain substances in a number of countries in recent years, China's rigorous narcotics enforcement regime continues to enjoy a broad public mandate.

The hazards of illicit substances

Illicit narcotics can cause a range of adverse effects on individuals and society. They can be harmful to the health of the users, some of whom may suffer serious damage to their vascular and neurological systems. Many may also contract acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) as a result of the sharing of syringes among the users. At the same time, because of the addictive nature of drugs and the financial difficulties that users often encountered, drugs often induced further offences, undermining public order and incurring further economic disadvantages.