Drug abuse in South Africa is at an all-time high - and is set to increase further during the World Cup.

Not only has drug abuse increased by 20% year on year, but South Africans consume three times the world norm of drugs such as dagga, cocaine and tik.

These and other shocking statistics were released yesterday in the annual report of the international narcotics control board of the UN Office for Drugs and Crime.

And a presentation by the department of social development's Central Drug Authority showed that in 2009, R1 of every R4 in circulation in South Africa was linked to substance abuse problems.

David Bayever, deputy chairman of the drug authority, said: "The drug problem in South Africa is extremely serious."

The report showed that substance abuse dependency is evident in children as young as 12 - and that age is dropping.

Bayever said one in two children in South Africa had used drugs or alcohol.

The latest substance abuse figures showed that:

• While the world average for tik and amphetamine use is 0.4% of the population, South African users total 0.9% of the population.

• The world average for dagga abuse is 4%, but 12% of South Africans abuse the drug. This is an increase of 4% in a year.

• 0.8% of South Africans use cocaine. The world average for cocaine use is 0.4% of a population.

• Alcohol consumption in South Africa is among the 10 highest in the world. 1.9 million South Africans are alcoholics, 37% of the population are binge drinkers and 10% are classified "risky drinkers".

The report noted that drug dealers were planted in schools to target the youth, and that there has been an increase in the use of injections as a method of drug use.

Bayever said the expected use of drugs during the World Cup was "a huge problem for us".

"What we are talking about is a well-organised and measured industry that knows where the loopholes are. Unfortunately, after the World Cup we are going to have to pick up the pieces.

"There are plans to deal with it, I just fear that whatever we do will not be enough," he said.

Dr Jonathan Lucas, the UN Office for Drugs and Crime's Southern Africa representative, said another worrying global trend was the rising abuse of prescription drugs.

Lucas said the production of drugs in Africa was a problem.

"Africa has developed into a major hub for cocaine from South America to Europe and often into Southern Africa. West African syndicates present a problem for Southern Africa. South Africa is a particularly attractive destination and operational hub due to its well-developed financial, communications, legal, energy and transportation sectors," he said.

• Another alarming statistic was that 40,000 "new prostitutes to service our visitors from overseas will be imported".