Figure DLO-4. Indexed trends in reports for offences related to drug use or possession for use in the EU Member States, 2003–08

Notes:

1. The trends represent the available information on the national number of reports for drug law offences (criminal and non-criminal) reported by all law enforcement agencies in the EU Member States; all series are indexed to a base of 100 in 2003 and weighted by country population sizes to form an overall EU trend; the figures between brackets refer to the total number of offences related to drug use/possession as reported in 2008 in countries included in the trends (before weighting).

2. The general term 'reports for drug law offences' is used, since definitions and study units differ widely between countries. For definitions of the term 'reports for drug law offences', please refer to Drug law offences — methods and definitions.

3. Countries that in 2007 carried out changes in the information system likely to affect comparability across time ((Estonia, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Slovakia, and United Kingdom) as well as countries missing offences related to drug use/possession for use information for two or more consecutive years, are not included in the trend calculations: the trend for both heroin and cocaine is based on 13 countries (70 % of the EU population 15-64), and cannabis on 13 countries (70 % of the EU population 15-64).

4. Additionally, where 2008 data are missing (2 cases for all trends) 2007 data are used, and for missing 2003 data (2 cases for cannabis and 1 case for both heroin and cocaine trends) 2004 data are used.

Related links:

See also ‘General notes for interpreting data’ on the Explanatory notes and help page.

Sources:

Reitox national focal points and, for population data Eurostat.