Netherlands National Drug Monitor - Research and Documentation ...

Figure 2.1 Cannabis users in the Netherlands by age group. Survey years 1997 and 2005
16 % Recent
14.3
14
16 % Current
14
12
11.4
12
10
10
8
6
4
5.2
6.4
8
6
4
7.3
5.3
3.1
4.8
2
1.1
1.5
2
0.6 0.7
15-24 25-44 45-64
15-24 25-44 45-64
1997 2005
1997 2005
Percentage of recent (last year, on left) users and current users (last month, on right) by age group. Source:
NPO, IVO.
The main cities
There is more cannabis consumption in urban than in rural areas (Table 2.2).
• In 2005 the percentage of ever and recent cannabis users was approximately three
times greater in highly urban compared to non-urban areas.
Table 2.2 Use of cannabis in the four main cities and in non-urban areas among people aged over
15 years. Survey years 1997 and 2005
Ever Use Recent Use Current Use
1997 2005 1997 2005 1997 2005
Very highly urban I 31.4% 37.5% 10.4% 10.8% 6.2% 7.5%
Highly urban II 21.0% 24.6% 4.8% 5.8% 2.9% 3.2%
Moderately urban III 15.5% 20.2% 4.3% 4.3% 2.2% 2.5%
Semi-rural IV 15.0% 15.5% 4.5% 3.2% 2.2% 2.0%
Rural V 12.8% 13.9% 3.8% 3.0% 1.9% 1.5%
Percentage of ever use, recent (last year) and current (last month). No data by urbanisation level for 2001
due to small numbers of respondents. I. Definition (Statistics Netherlands, CBS): municipalities with over
2,500 addresses per square km. These are: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Delft, The Hague, Groningen, Haarlem,
Leiden, Rijswijk, Schiedam, Utrecht, Vlaardingen and Voorburg. II. Municipalities with 1,500 -2,500
addresses per square km. III. Municipalities with 1,000 – 1,500 addresses per square km. IV. Districts
with 500-1,000 addresses per square km. V. Districts with fewer than 500 addresses per square km.
Source: NPO, IVO.
2 Cannabis
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