1. How Much Does Drug Policy Matter
How Much Does Drug Policy Matter?: Comparing drug use data, Netherlands-USA
Manja Abraham* Kohnstamm Institute., Universiteit van Amsterdam
Peter Cohen* Centruum voor Drugsonderzoek, Universiteit van Amsterdam
Gerard Gmell Universite de Lausanne
Lana Harrison University of Delaware
Craig Reinarman University of California, Santa Cruz
Sources:
Abraham, M.D., Cohen, P.D.A, De Winter, M.A.L, Van Til, R.J. (1999) Licit and illicit drug use in the Netherlands, Amsterdam: CEDRO/Mets&Schilt
Abraham, M.D., Kaal, H.L., Cohen, P.D.A (2002) Licit and illicit drug use in the Netherlands, Amsterdam: CEDRO/Mets&Schilt
Office of Applied Studies, SAMSHSA (1998) 1997 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Office of Applied Studies, SAMSHSA (2002) 2001 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Reinarman, Cohen and Kaal, “The Limited Relevance of Drug Policy: Cannabis in Amsterdam and San Francisco,” American Journal of Public Health 94: , 2004]

2. Cannabis -- life time prevalence USA and NL, 1997 and 2001, by age group

3. Cannabis -- age of first use USA and NL, 1997 and 2001, by age group
Cannabis average age of first use
0,0
5,0
10,0
15,0
20,0
25,0
Age
category
12-17
18-25
26-34
35+
All ages
(12+)
US 1997
US 2001
NL 1997
NL 2001

4. Ecstacy -- life time prevalence USA and NL, 1997 and 2001, by age group

5. Ecstacy -- age of first use USA and NL, 1997 and 2001, by age group
Ecstasy average age of first use
0,0
5,0
10,0
15,0
20,0
25,0
30,0
35,0
40,0
Age
category
12-17
18-25
26-34
35+
All ages
(12+)
US 1997
US 2001
NL 1997
NL 2001

6. Heroin -- life time prevalence USA and NL, 1997 and 2001, by age group

7. Heroin -- age of first use USA and NL, 1997 and 2001, by age group
Heroin average age of first use
0,0
5,0
10,0
15,0
20,0
25,0
30,0
Age
category
12-17
18-25
26-34
35+
All ages
(12+)
US 1997
US 2001
NL 1997
NL 2001

12. Ages at first cannabis use, first regular use, and at start of heaviest use among experienced cannabis users (25x>)

13. in 4 periods, by city (% of all respondents)
Experienced user samples: Frequency of cannabis use
in 4 periods, by city (% of all respondents)

14. Experienced users: Average quantity of cannabis used per month
[for last-year and last-3-months periods, percentages are of of respondents still using]

15. 10 9 3 4 15 17 7 5 14 24 12 20 31 11 25 29 21 23 27 33 28 26 16 32 18 22 6 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
100 FY TP LY
L3m
Amsterdam
San Francisco
1: Light buzz 2
6: Very high
Experienced users: Intensity of intoxication at typical occasion of cannabis use
[for last-year and last-3-months periods, percentages are of of respondents still using]

16. 22 40 11 15 28 9 8 57 39 50 53 52 21 14 37 41 10 20 30 60 70 80 90
100 FY TP LY
L3m
Amsterdam
San Francisco
Only 1 hr
2-3 hrs
4+ hrs
Experienced users: Duration of intoxication, typical occasion of cannabis use
[for last-year and last-3-months periods, percentages are of of respondents still using]

17. Drug use prevalence Amsterdam and San Francisco (1998) [source; Reinarman, Cohen and Kaal, “The Limited Relevance of Drug Policy: Cannabis in Amsterdam and San Francisco,” American Journal of Public Health 94: , 2004]

18. Table 1: User rules for regulating cannabis use (% reporting)

19. How often to you stick to your rules?

20. Figure 1: Locations of use, last three months of use [ mean frequency scores: never=0; seldom=1; sometimes=2; often=3; always=4]

21. Situations thought not suitable for cannabis use:
Amsterdam San Francisco
Work (or study) % %
With Parents % %
In public or at events 15.6% %
While driving % %
While concentrating 11.1% %

22. Emotional states thought suitable for cannabis use:
Amsterdam San Francisco
Feeling good, happy, joyful % %
Feeling relaxed % %
Feeling sexual % %
Feeling excited, euphoric % %
Feeling down, depressed % %

23. Emotional states thought unsuitable for cannabis use:
Amsterdam San Francisco
Feeling down, depressed % %
Feeling sad, upset % %
Feeling anxious, paranoid % %
Feeling angry, aggressive, rageful 12.1% %
Feeling tense, stressed out 15.9% %
Feeling unsafe, insecure % %

24. Types of people with whom users would not want to consume cannabis:
Amsterdam San Francisco
Parents % %
Relatives % %
Co-workers % %
Strangers % %
Children % %
Non-users, people opposed % %

25. Persons users persuaded to not try cannabis:

26. Persons users persuaded to try cannabis: