Netherlands National Drug Monitor - Research and Documentation ...

not statistically significant. The percentage of current binge drinking was highest
in North (88%), followed by South (87%), West (86%) and Central (82%). These
differences were likewise not statistically significant.
- On the basis of these regional data, a national estimate of this substance use among
clubbers is being drawn up. These data were not available for this Annual Report,
but will be included in the final report of the social scene survey.
• Alcohol consumption is lower among fans of Hip-hop/Rap/R&B than among fans
of Pop/Rock or Dance/House/Techno. This may be associated with the preference
of young Moroccans for the former, since alcohol use is lower among the Moroccan
community (Van Gelder et al., 2003).
• In Amsterdam almost one third of bar-goers, coffee-shop clients and frequenters of
fashionable clubs use alcohol daily or a few times a week, and consume at least four
or five drinks on each occasion. Half the bar-goers drink alcohol a few times a week
and 7% consume alcohol daily. The percentage of bar-goers that consume alcohol
daily appears to have remained the same since 2000 (Benschop et al., 2009).
• Young male holiday-makers on the island of Schouwen-Duiveland consumed an
average of 24 alcoholic drinks per day of the holiday in 2002, rising to an average of
25 drinks in 2004 (Van de Luitgaarden et al., 2010).
• The percentage of binge drinkers (6 or more drinks) among young people going out
ranges in various studies from 49% to 80%.
Pre-drinking
• According to reports from key observers in the social scene, “pre-drinking” has been
on the increase in recent years (Nabben et al., 2005). This can take place at home, on
the street, in a ‘hangout’ , at a friend’s place, or indeed increasingly in bars themselves
(encouraged by special offers). In general it appears to be mainly teenagers who
engage in pre-drinking before a night out, in order to save money.
• A survey conducted in 2005 among teenagers out socialising (aged 13-17) found that
half of those who drink sometimes do so before going out. They pre-drink mainly at
home (61%) or at a friend’s house (65%) (Bieleman et al., 2006). The percentages
of pre-drinkers vary per age group:
- A quarter (26%) of 13 year old socialising drinkers (or 1.5% of all 13 year olds).
- 41% of 14/15 year old socialising drinkers (or 12% of all 14/15 year olds).
- 56% of 16/17 year old socialising drinkers (or 39% of all 16/17 year olds).
• Among clubbers in Amsterdam in 2008, pre-drinking occurred among a slight majority
of 54% (Benschop et al., 2009).
7 Alcohol
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