Drug Use Statistics

Since 1987 CEDRO regularly performs population surveys on the use of licit and illicit drugs in Amsterdam. In 1997 and 2001, CEDRO also conducted large population surveys of the population of the Netherlands.

The results of the population surveys are published in the following research reports:

• Abraham, Manja D., Hendrien L. Kaal, Peter D.A. Cohen (2003), Licit and illicit drug use in Amsterdam, 1987 to 2001. Amsterdam: CEDRO/Mets & Schilt. (PDF)

• Abraham, Manja D., Hendrien L. Kaal, Peter D.A. Cohen (2002), Licit and illicit drug use in the Netherlands, 2001. Amsterdam: CEDRO/Mets & Schilt. (PDF)

• Abraham, Manja D., Peter D.A. Cohen, RJ van Til, Marielle A.L. de Winter (1999), Licit and illicit drug use in the Netherlands, 1997. Amsterdam: CEDRO/Mets & Schilt. (PDF)

• Abraham, Manja D., Peter D.A. Cohen, Roelf-Jan van Til, & Marieke P.S. Langemeijer (1998), Licit and illicit drug use in Amsterdam III. Developments in drug use 1987 - 1997. Amsterdam: CEDRO. (PDF file, 473 Kb)

• Langemeijer, Marieke, Roelf-Jan van Til, & Peter Cohen (1998), Het gebruik van legale en illegale drugs in Utrecht en Tilburg. Amsterdam: Instituut voor Sociale Geografie Universiteit van Amsterdam.

• Sandwijk, Paul, Peter Cohen, Sako Musterd & Marieke Langemeijer (1995), Licit and illicit drug use in Amsterdam II: Report of a household survey in 1994 on the prevalence of drug use among the population of 12 years and over. Amsterdam: Instituut voor Sociale Geografie Universiteit van Amsterdam.

• Sandwijk, Paul, Peter Cohen, & Sako Musterd (1991), Licit and illicit drug use in Amsterdam: Report of a household survey in 1990 on the prevalence of drug use among the population of 12 years and over. Amsterdam: Instituut voor Sociale Geografie Universiteit van Amsterdam.

Some summary tables of these surveys can be found here:

• National data: development of drug use 1997-2001
• Drug use in the population of 12 years and older in the USA and the Netherlands (1997 and 2001)
• Amsterdam: development of drug use 1987-2001

The tables in this section show lifetime prevalence, last 12 months prevalence, and last 30 days prevalence of licit and illicit drug use. The "prevalences" are defined as follows:

• A person reports lifetime prevalence of use of a certain drug if he/she answers "yes" to the question "Have you ever used or tried this drug?"

• A person reports last 12 months prevalence of use of a certain drug if he/she answers "yes" to the question "Have you used or tried this drug during the last 12 months?"

• A person reports last 30 days prevalence of use of a certain drug if he/she answers "yes" to the question "Have you used or tried this drug during the last 30 days?"