Netherlands National Drug Monitor - Research and Documentation ...
Netherlands National Drug Monitor - Research and Documentation ...
Netherlands National Drug Monitor - Research and Documentation ...
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
8 Tobacco<br />
Tobacco is made from the dried leaves of the tobacco plant (Nicotiana). It is generally<br />
smoked in the form of a cigarette, cigar or pipe, <strong>and</strong> more rarely taken as snuff<br />
or chewed.<br />
Users experience tobacco as stimulating (improves concentration) <strong>and</strong> calming. Nicotine,<br />
its most important psychoactive component, is an addictive substance. Regular<br />
use is habit forming <strong>and</strong> increases tolerance. When tobacco smoke is inhaled, various<br />
substances are released, such as nicotine, tar <strong>and</strong> carbon monoxide, as well as number<br />
other chemicals that are harmful to the health.<br />
8.1 Recent facts <strong>and</strong> trends<br />
In this chapter, the main facts <strong>and</strong> trends concerning tobacco are:<br />
• Between 2007 <strong>and</strong> 2008, there was a slight drop in the percentage of (heavy) smokers<br />
in the general population. (§ 8.2).<br />
• Between 2005 <strong>and</strong> 2007, average tobacco sales per smoker remained stable, but rose<br />
slightly in 2008 (§ 8.2).<br />
• The percentage of school-goers in mainstream education that had ever smoked<br />
declined between 2003 <strong>and</strong> 2007. The percentage of current <strong>and</strong> daily smokers<br />
appears to have remained stable in this period. (§ 8.3).<br />
• Pupils attending REC-4 schools are more likely to be current smokers <strong>and</strong> smoke more<br />
cigarettes per day on average than pupils in mainstream schools (§ 8.3).<br />
• The <strong>Netherl<strong>and</strong>s</strong> occupies an intermediate position in the EU with regard to smoking<br />
among school-goers (§ 8.4).<br />
• The use of smoking cessation aids rose between 2006 <strong>and</strong> 2008 (§ 8.5).<br />
• Lung cancer deaths from smoking rose somewhat between 2003 <strong>and</strong> 2008, particularly<br />
among women (§ 8.6).<br />
• The slight reduction in total smoking-related deaths between 2000 <strong>and</strong> 2005 did not<br />
continue between 2005 <strong>and</strong> 2008 (§ 8.6).<br />
8.2 Usage: general population<br />
In the 1960s <strong>and</strong> 1970s smoking was the norm, particularly among men. From the late<br />
1960s until the early 1990s, the percentage of smokers declined sharply. This decline<br />
subsequently became less marked. The percentage of smokers in the population has<br />
been measured by various surveys.<br />
8 Tobacco<br />
175