Table Prevalence-2. School surveys: Prevalence of cannabis use among 15- to 16-year-old students. Part (i) Lifetime prevalence (LTP), last year prevalence (LYP), and last month prevalence (LMP)
| Country | Ref. | Notes | Year | Project | Sample all ages | Sample 15/16 y.o. | LTP all (%) | LTP male (%) | LTP female (%) | LYP (%) | LMP (%) |
| Belgium (fl) | ** | 2002 | HBSC(WHO) | 6287 | 2030 | 25.1 | 27.1 | 23.1 | 21.3 | 15.1 | |
| Belgium (fl) | (7) | 2002-2003 | VAD | 35407 | na | 31.2 | 36.1 | 26.5 | 20.2 | na | |
| Belgium (fl) | ** | 2002 | HBSC(WHO)Ext | 4323 | 1381 | 25.9 | 30.7 | 21.8 | 26.0 | na | |
| Czech Republic | * | 1995 | ESPAD | 2962 | 22.0 | 25.0 | 18.0 | 16.0 | 7.0 | ||
| Czech Republic | * | 1999 | ESPAD | 3579 | 35.0 | 40.0 | 30.0 | 27.0 | 16.0 | ||
| Czech Republic | ** | 2002 | HBSC(WHO)Ext | 5012 | 1660 | 30.5 | 34.6 | 26.7 | 26.9 | na | |
| Denmark | * | (a) | 1995 | ESPAD | 2439 | 17.0 | 20.0 | 15.0 | 14.0 | 6.0 | |
| Denmark | * | (a) | 1999 | ESPAD | 1790 | 24.0 | 30.0 | 20.0 | 19.0 | 8.0 | |
| Denmark | ** | 2002 | HBSC(WHO) | 4672 | 1380 | 23.3 | 25.8 | 21.1 | na | na | |
| Germany | ** | (b) | 2002 | HBSC(WHO) | 5650 | 1749 | 23.9 | 27.8 | 20.2 | na | na |
| Estonia | * | 1995 | ESPAD | 3118 | 7.0 | 10.0 | 5.0 | na | na | ||
| Estonia | * | 1999 | ESPAD | 3254 | 13.0 | 18.0 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 5.0 | ||
| Estonia | ** | 2002 | HBSC(WHO) | 3979 | 1267 | 17.2 | 23 | 11.6 | na | na | |
| Greece | (1) | 1995 | ESPAD | 2617 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | na | na | ||
| Greece | * | 1999 | ESPAD | 2259 | 8.6 | 11.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 4.0 | ||
| Greece | ** | (c) | 2002 | HBSC(WHO)Short | 3807 | 1324 | 5.2 | 8.0 | 2.7 | na | na |
| Spain | (4) | 2002 | 25770 | na | 36.0 | 38.3 | 33.9 | 31.8 | 22.4 | ||
| Spain | ** | 2002 | HBSC(WHO) | 5827 | 1756 | 34.5 | 36.1 | 33.1 | na | na | |
| France | (1) | (c) | 1995 | ESPAD | na | 12.0 | 13.0 | 12.0 | na | na | |
| France | * | 1999 | ESPAD | 12113 | 2284 | 35.0 | 38.0 | 32.0 | 31.0 | 22.0 | |
| France | ** | 2002 | HBSC(WHO)Ext | 8185 | 2614 | 30.0 | 34.1 | 26.0 | na | na | |
| Ireland | * | 1995 | ESPAD | 1849 | 37.0 | 42.0 | 31.0 | 33.0 | 19.0 | ||
| Ireland | * | 1999 | ESPAD | 2277 | 32.0 | 35.0 | 29.0 | 26.0 | 15.0 | ||
| Ireland | ** | 2002 | HBSC(WHO)Short | 2875 | 919 | 19.7 | 27.3 | 15.2 | na | ns | |
| Italy | * | 1995 | ESPAD | 1555 | 19.0 | 21.0 | 16.0 | 18.0 | 13.0 | ||
| Italy | * | 1999 | ESPAD | 4106 | 25.0 | 28.0 | 23.0 | 20.0 | 14.0 | ||
| Italy | (3) | (h) | 2000 | 21933 | 4587 | 28.4 | na | na | na | na | |
| Italy | (4) | (h) | 2001 | 22358 | 4485 | 27.0 | na | na | na | na | |
| Italy | (5) | (h) | 2002 | 16934 | na | 18.9 | 21.1 | 7.3 | 15 | 9.8 | |
| Italy | ** | 2002 | HBSC(WHO) | 4386 | 1229 | 21.8 | 26.9 | 17.6 | na | na | |
| Cyprus | * | 1995 | ESPAD | 632 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | ||
| Cyprus | * | 1999 | ESPAD | 2095 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | ||
| Latvia | * | 1995 | HBSC(WHO) | 2179 | 5.0 | 8.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | ||
| Latvia | * | 1999 | ESPAD | 2284 | 17.0 | 22.0 | 12.0 | 11.0 | 5.0 | ||
| Latvia | ** | 2002 | ESPAD | 3481 | 1117 | 11.9 | 16.1 | 8.8 | na | na | |
| Lithuania | * | 1995 | ESPAD | 3196 | 1.0 | 27.0 | 6.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | ||
| Lithuania | * | 1999 | ESPAD | na | 12.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10.0 | 4.0 | ||
| Lithuania | ** | 2002 | HBSC(WHO)Short | 5645 | 1905 | 7.9 | 11.2 | 4.5 | na | na | |
| Luxembourg | (1) | (d) | 1999 | 562 | 37.1 | na | na | na | na | ||
| Luxembourg | (2) | 1999 | HBSC(WHO) | 7347 | na | 27.7 | na | na | na | na | |
| Hungary | * | 1995 | ESPAD | 2571 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | ||
| Hungary | * | 1999 | ESPAD | 6421 | 11.0 | 16.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 4.0 | ||
| Hungary | (3) | (h) | 2002 | 2187 | na | 15.4 | na | na | na | na | |
| Hungary | ** | 2002 | HBSC(WHO) | 4164 | 1330 | 13.0 | 16.5 | 10.8 | na | na | |
| Malta | * | 1995 | ESPAD | 2832 | 8.0 | 10.0 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 2.0 | ||
| Malta | * | 1999 | ESPAD | 4321 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 5.0 | 3.0 | ||
| Malta | ** | 2002 | HBSC(WHO) | 1980 | 667 | 6.3 | 9.2 | 3.9 | na | na | |
| Netherlands | (1) | 1996 | 10455 | na | 31.1 | na | na | na | na | ||
| Netherlands | (2) | (e) | 1999 | ESPAD | 2615 | 28.0 | 32.0 | 24.0 | 23.0 | 14.0 | |
| Netherlands | ** | 2002 | HBSC(WHO) | 4269 | 1273 | 25.9 | 28.5 | 23.3 | na | na | |
| Austria | (1) | 1994 | 2250 | na | 9.5 | na | na | na | na | ||
| Austria | ** | 2002 | HBSC(WHO) | 4472 | 1298 | 13.7 | 14.7 | 12.7 | na | na | |
| Poland | * | 1995 | ESPAD | 8940 | 8.0 | 12.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 3.0 | ||
| Poland | * | 1999 | ESPAD | na | 14.0 | 19.0 | 10.0 | 12.0 | 7.0 | ||
| Poland | ** | 2002 | HBSC(WHO)Ext | 6383 | 2152 | 18.0 | 25.0 | 11.6 | na | na | |
| Portugal | * | 1995 | ESPAD | 2033 | 7.0 | 9.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 4.0 | ||
| Portugal | * | 1999 | ESPAD | 3609 | 8.0 | 19.0 | 10.0 | 9.0 | 5.0 | ||
| Portugal | (3) | (h) | 2002 | na | na | na | na | na | na | ||
| Portugal | ** | (f) | 2002 | HBSC(WHO) | 2940 | 802 | 19.7 | 25.4 | 14.6 | na | na |
| Slovenia | * | 1995 | ESPAD | 3306 | 13.0 | 14.0 | 12.0 | 10.0 | 5.0 | ||
| Slovenia | * | 1999 | ESPAD | 3184 | 25.0 | 27.0 | 23.0 | 21.0 | 13.0 | ||
| Slovenia | ** | 2002 | HBSC(WHO) | 3956 | 1069 | 28.3 | 31.0 | 25.4 | na | na | |
| Slovak Republic | * | 1995 | ESPAD | 2376 | 9.0 | 12.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 3.0 | ||
| Slovak Republic | * | 1999 | ESPAD | 2442 | 19.0 | 24.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 6.0 | ||
| Finland | * | 1995 | ESPAD | 2300 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | ||
| Finland | * | 1999 | ESPAD | 3286 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 9.0 | 8.0 | 2.0 | ||
| Finland | ** | 2002 | HBSC(WHO) | 5388 | 1745 | 10.3 | 11.0 | 9.6 | na | na | |
| Sweden | * | 1995 | ESPAD | 3472 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | ||
| Sweden | (2) | (h) | 1998 | CAN | 5455 | 7.2 | na | na | na | a | |
| Sweden | * | 1999 | ESPAD | 3445 | 8.0 | 11.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 2.0 | ||
| Sweden | (4) | (h) | 2000 | CAN | 6000 | 8.0 | na | na | na | na | |
| Sweden | (5) | (h) | 2001 | CAN | 5500 | 7.0 | na | na | na | na | |
| Sweden | (6) | (h) | 2002 | CAN | approx 5000 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 7.0 | na | 2.0 | |
| Sweden | ** | 2002 | HBSC(WHO) | 3926 | 1226 | 7.1 | 7.6 | 6.6 | na | na | |
| Sweden | (8) | (h) | 2003 | CAN | approx 5000 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | na | 2.0 | |
| United Kingdom | * | 1995 | ESPAD | 7722 | 41.0 | 44.0 | 38.0 | 35.0 | 24.0 | ||
| United Kingdom | (2) | 1997 | 28756 | na | 37.5 | na | na | na | na | ||
| United Kingdom | * | 1999 | ESPAD | 2641 | 35.0 | 39.0 | 32.0 | 29.0 | 16.0 | ||
| U.K. (England) | (1) | (g) | 1998 | ONS | 4752 | na | 29.6 | na | na | na | na |
| U.K. (England) | (2) | (g) | 2000 | ONS | 7061 | na | 31.0 | na | na | na | na |
| U.K. (England) | (3) | (g) | 2001 | ONS | 9400 | na | 36.0 | 38.0 | 33.0 | 31.0 | 20.0 |
| U.K. (England) | (4) | (g) | 2002 | ONS | 9859 | 2158 | 36.0 | 39.0 | 33.0 | 31.0 | 19.0 |
| U.K. (England) | ** | 2002 | HBSC(WHO) | 6081 | 1773 | 40.2 | 42.5 | 38.4 | na | na | |
| U.K. (Scotland) | (1) | (g) | 1998 | Scottish Exc | 3538 | na | 38.0 | na | na | na | na |
| U.K. (Scotland) | (2) | (g) | 2000 | Scottish Exc | 4700 | na | 28.0 | na | na | na | na |
| U.K. (Scotland) | (3) | (g) | 2002 | Scottish Exc | 23000 | na | na | na | na | 31.0 | na |
| U.K. (Scotland) | ** | 2002 | HBSC(WHO) | 4404 | 1149 | 37.3 | 39.3 | 35.4 | na | na | |
| U.K. (Wales) | (1) | 1998 | HBSC(WHO) | 1238 | na | 35.8 | na | na | na | na | |
| U.K. (Wales) | ** | 2002 | HBSC(WHO) | 3887 | 1164 | 34.1 | 35.8 | 32.2 | na | na | |
| U.K. (Northern Ireland) | (1) | 2000 | 6039 | na | 24.7 | na | na | 21.8 | 16.1 | ||
| Norway | * | 1995 | ESPAD | 3910 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 3.0 | ||
| Norway | * | 1999 | ESPAD | 3918 | 12.0 | 14.0 | 10.0 | 9.0 | 4.0 | ||
| Notes: | |||||||||||
| This table aims to present data on 15/16-year-old school students obtained from national surveys. Exceptionally some relevant regional surveys are presented. In all of the school surveys the method for data collection was classroom-based, anonymous, self-completion questionnaires in written test conditions. | |||||||||||
| Figures from surveys with small sample sizes should be interpreted with caution. | |||||||||||
| Previously published figures may have been revised and therefore are not necessarily comparable with those in previous EMCDDA publications. | |||||||||||
| For methods and definions see [Methods and definitions - Schools surveys]. | |||||||||||
| ESPAD | |||||||||||
| ESPAD (The European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs) 1995 and 1999 is co-ordinated by The Swedish Council for Information on Alcohol and Other Drugs (CAN) and Council of Europe (Pompidou Group). ESPAD prevalence figures are reported rounded to the nearest whole percentage point (other sources supply percentages up to one decimal place). ESPAD data "heroin" refers to heroin smoking (not injecting) and "cocaine" does not include base/crack. For further details see www.espad.org. | |||||||||||
| HBSC (WHO) | |||||||||||
| HBSC (Health behaviour in school-aged children) introduced mandatory cannabis questions for the first time in 2001/2002. Two optional extended questionnaires (Ext & Short) include other drugs. These questions are based on the ESPAD qustionnaire. Prior to 2001 some countries included their own drug questions in their HBSC surveys. It is co-ordinated by the Child and Adolescent Health Research Unit, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, U.K. in collaboration with the WHO regional office for Europe. For further details see www.hbsc.org. | |||||||||||
| (a) Caution is required comparing figures from Denmark as a large number of Danish schools and classes refused to participate. | |||||||||||
| (b) HBSC German figures are based on regional samples only (Berlin, Hessen, North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony). | |||||||||||
| (c) Data included in 1995 ESPAD report but not strictly comparable (based on an earlier survey). | |||||||||||
| (d) Interpret with caution as sample size is small. | |||||||||||
| (e) Figures included in 1999 ESPAD report but not strictly comparable, as the sample was not drawn according to ESPAD guidelines. | |||||||||||
| (f) Caution is required comparing figures from Portugal as the mean age of the sample is higher than in any other EU Member State. | |||||||||||
| (g) Only 15-year-old students are included in UK ONS and Scottish Executive school surveys. | |||||||||||
| (h) These school surveys make use of the ESPAD questionnaire. ESPAD methods are adopted to varying degrees. | |||||||||||
| Associated graphic: | |||||||||||
|
Evolution of cannabis use (last year prevalence) among young people in some EU countries measured by population surveys [Figure5OL]. | |||||||||||
| For sources see [Table Prevalence-0. School surveys: Sources]. | |||||||||||
