The number of drug users in China fell by 20.3 percent in 2023 from the previous year as the Chinese authorities continue to step up efforts to tackle drug abuse, according to China Drug Situation Report 2023 released by the office of the China National Narcotics Control Commission on Wednesday.

The authorities solved 42,000 drug-related criminal cases nationwide in 2023, representing a 12.6 percent increase year on year, according to the report.

It said the number of captured suspects and drugs seized by authorities in 2023 have also gone up by 21 percent and 18 percent, respectively, to 65,000 people and 25.9 tonnes.

"China's drug control authorities actively responded to the post-COVID-19 changes in drug situation, further carried out the strategy of 'addressing the root causes of drug demand and supply,' vigorously tackled prominent drug issues and fully mitigated the risk of a resurgence in drug problems," the report said.

The report has identified a continued decline in the scale of drug abuse. Throughout last year, instances of drug use fell by 1.1 percent year on year to 195,000. By the end of the year, the number of drug users in China had stood at 896,000, according to the document.

A decline in the abuse of mainstream drugs was also identified. "Among the current registered drug users, there were 305,000 heroin users, 455,000 methamphetamine users and 30,000 ketamine users, representing year-on-year decreases of 26.7 percent, 22.6 percent and 6.3 percent, respectively," the report said.

However, the prominent use of substitute substances stood out as an issue recognized by the authorities. According to the report, the misuse of etomidate is particularly notable as drug users turn to more accessible, cheaper and similarly effective addictive substances, with prices of mainstream drugs like heroin and methamphetamine remaining high following the COVID-19 pandemic.

In October, China placed etomidate under official control. In the fourth quarter of last year, 29,000 instances of etomidate misuse were dealt with, and 21,000 new etomidate users were identified, the report said.

The document also noted a sharp rise in the quantity of drugs originating from abroad. Drugs from outside China constituted the majority of the drug supply in the country in 2023, with 20.5 tonnes of illegally imported drugs seized, up 84.7 percent from the previous year, accounting for 79.2 percent of the total annual drug seizures.

"Although domestic drug production activities showed signs of resurgence, they remained small in scale and output, continuing to decline in their share of the drug consumption market," the report said.