Netherlands National Drug Monitor - Research and Documentation ...

and 7.7% in the U.K (England and Wales). The lowest rates of all EU countries for
ever users are reported in Romania, Malta and Lithuania (0.4%). In the Netherlands,
over three percent (3.4%) of the population aged between 15 and 64 has ever used
cocaine, which is close to the European average of 3.6%.
• In only four of the EU-27 countries plus Norway, more than one percent of the
population reports past year use of cocaine. These four countries are Ireland (1.7%),
Italy (2.2%), the U.K. (England & Wales, 2.6%) and Spain 3%. In the US, Canada
and Australia, the percentage of recent users is also higher at 2.1%, 1.9% and 1.6%
respectively . The Netherlands has a rate of recent cocaine use of 0.6%, which is
below the European average of 1.2%.
Table 3.4a Cocaine use in the general population of a number of EU-15 member states and Norway:
age group 15 to 64 years
Country Year Ever use Recent Use
Spain 2005/2006 7.0% 3.0%
Italy 2005 6.6% 2.2%
Ireland 2006/2007 5.3% 1.7%
Netherlands 2005 3.4% 0.6%
Norway 2004 2.7% 0.8%
France 2005 2.6% 0.6%
Portugal 2007 1.9% 0.6%
Finland 2006 1.1% 0.5%
Greece 2004 0.7% 0.1%
Differences in survey year, measuring methods and sampling hamper a precise comparison between countries.
Percentage of ever users and recent users (past year).Source: EMCDDA
3 Cocaine
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