Number of newly discovered drug users in China 2019-2022
In 2022, there were around 71,000 newly discovered users of illicit drugs in China, representing a significant drop of 50,000 from the previous year. Due to increasingly stringent controls, harsh punishments, and tighter border controls since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of newly discovered drug users in China dropped by more than two-thirds since 2019. Although substance abuse is not a criminal offense in China, addicts are usually sent to specialized rehabilitation facilities for treatment.