DUTCH NOT REALLY BUNCH OF POTHEADS: STUDY

The Dutch are among the lowest users of marijuana or cannabis in
Europe despite the Netherlands' well-known tolerance of the drug,
according to a study published on Thursday.

Among adults in the Netherlands, 5.4 per cent used cannabis, compared
with the European average of 6.8 per cent, according to an annual
report by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction,
using latest available figures.

A higher percentage of adults in Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic and
France took cannabis last year, the EU agency said, with the highest
being Italy at 14.6 per cent. Usage in Italy used to be among the
lowest at below 10 per cent a decade ago. Countries with the lowest
usage rates, according to the Lisbon-based agency, were Romania,
Malta, Greece and Bulgaria.

Cannabis use in Europe rose steadily during the '90s and earlier this
decade, but has recently stabilized and is beginning to show signs of
decline, the agency said, owing to several national campaigns to curb
and treat use of the drug.