Cutting-edge tech can help fight addiction - Richard van Hooijdonk

Drug abuse is a serious issue that affects millions of people around the world. It can have devastating consequences on a person's life, leading to various infectious diseases and other health issues, crime, unemployment, homelessness, social exclusion, and even death. But drug abuse doesn't just affect individuals, it affects society at large through reduced workforce productivity and costs associated with addiction treatment. According to the UN's World Drug Report 2019, around 271 million people worldwide used drugs in 2017, while 35 million suffer from drug use disorders. The report shows that the number of people who use drugs has increased by 30 per cent compared to a decade ago, but this increase can be partly attributed to improved research and more precise data, as well as the increase in the global population.