As highlighted in the Afghanistan Drug Use Assessment, data gaps and access constraints continue to limit a fully representative picture of drug use in Afghanistan, especially among women and in some regions. Still, findings show drug use is closely tied to hardship: underemployment, poor health, and psychological distress. Cannabis is now the most reported substance, while past-year use of pharmaceutical drugs has surpassed opium, indicating shifting patterns. Use also varies by province, with substances like Tablet K and methamphetamine more visible in certain urban areas.

The assessment stresses that poverty, unemployment, and health challenges both drive and worsen drug dependence, while the financial cost of use strains households. It calls for stronger monitoring, gender-sensitive data systems, expanded voluntary treatment and psychosocial support, and closer links between drug responses, social protection, and health services. The assessment was produced with support from the United Nations Development Programme, drawing on analysis by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.