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Table DLO-4. Drug law offences related to drug use or possession for use, 2003 to 2010
Part (ii) Methodological notes
| Country | Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium | Between 2003-2005, data refer to the number of offences and each offence is represented as one separate record in the database. | |
| Since 2006 data refer to the number of offences and only the main offence and the main substance is mentioned. Offences without a specified substance are included. These changes are likely to affect comparability across time. | ||
| Bulgaria | From 2001 to 2004 offences for 'use and trafficking' were reported twice, in both the category 'use/possession' and in the category 'dealing/trafficking'. From 2005 onwards these offences are included only in their own specific category. This change is likely to affect comparability across time. | |
| Czech Republic | Initial reports for ascertained drug related offences and persons prosecuted for primary drug related crime according to Penal Code and drug-related misdemeanours are included. | |
| Estonia | Since 2007, data are provided by a different source and include both the number of offenders and the number of offences. In addition, the delivery or distribution of narcotic subtances in prisons were reported as drug-related crime for the first time. In the past only the number of main offences was provided. This change is likely to affect comparability across time. | |
| Ireland | In 2007 responsibility for reporting crime data transferred to a different agency. The new agency reassessed the data for 2005 and 2006 on the basis of information held in a new Garda IT system. This change is likely to affect comparability of the data across time. | |
| Spain | Before 2003, an offence was recorded for every drug mentioned in a use-related report. For example, if cannabis and heroin were both mentioned in a report, two offences were recorded, one for each drug. From 2003 onwards, only the total number of use-related reports were recorded. For example, if cannabis and heroin were both mentioned in a report, a single offence was recorded. | |
| Latvia | Since 2007, data are provided by a different source, providing number of offenders and number of offences. Previously only data on the number of offenders was reported. 2007 also marks a large increase in the number of offenders reported. This change is likely to affect comparability across time. | |
| Luxembourg | Due to a complete upgrade of the RELIS database, since 2007 data is not comparable with data from previous years. | |
| Austria | The law only distinguishes between small and large quantities. Thus cases of possession and small-scale trafficking have been considered as 'use/possession for use' and cases of possession and trafficking of large quantities as 'dealing/trafficking'. | |
| Portugal | Since July 2001 drug use and possession for use have been decriminalized and made an administrative offence. Data on such offences, although included in this table, come from a different monitoring system. 2001 data should be treated with caution since this new monitoring system was being tested for the first time. | |
| Romania | Since 2008 data refer to persons convicted under/against national drug legislation (Law no.143/2000) | |
| Slovakia | Up to and including 2005, the unit reported was suspected offenders. No data is available for 2006, during which year a new criminal code was introduced. From 2007 onwards, the unit reported is offenders convicted according to the new criminal code. This change is likely to affect comparability across time. | |
| United Kingdom | Previous data has been on an offender (person basis). Since 2005 data are based on an all drug offence basis, except for Northern Ireland, which continues to be on a principal drug (i.e person) basis. | |
| Croatia | Since 2006, the statistical unit considered is criminal drug law offences (persons arrested in previous years, 2001 to 2004). This change is likely to affect comparability across time. | |
| Turkey | After 2002 data refer to all data reported by the main prosecuting authorities (police, gendarmerie and customs). This change is likely to affect comparability across time. |