How many people use cannabis?
In 2023, nearly 8 percent of those aged 12 years and over reported having used cannabis in the previous year. Those in their twenties are the most likely to do so.
Twice as many men (10 percent) as women (5 percent) said they had used cannabis in the past twelve months. Among those in their twenties, 28 percent of men and 15 percent of women had used cannabis. These numbers have not changed in recent years. Cannabis use has been surveyed in a similar way in the Health Survey/Lifestyle Monitor since 2015.
| Leeftijd | Report having used cannabis in past 12 months |
|---|---|
| 12-15 yrs | 3.0 |
| 16-19 yrs | 16.0 |
| 20-29 yrs | 21.5 |
| 30-39 yrs | 11.3 |
| 40-49 yrs | 5.5 |
| 50-54 yrs | 3.8 |
| 55-64 yrs | 2.8 |
| 65-74 yrs | 0.7 |
| 75 yrs and over | 0.6 |
A quarter have used cannabis at some point
In 2023, a quarter of people said they had used cannabis at some point in the past, including more than a year ago. These are mainly people aged between 20 and 50. Those in the 75 and over age group were the least likely to report having used cannabis in the past.
| within the last month | within the last year, but not within the last month | in the past, but not within the last year | never | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12-15 yrs | 2.1 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 96.6 |
| 16-19 yrs | 9.4 | 6.6 | 7.5 | 76.5 |
| 20-29 yrs | 12.9 | 8.6 | 23.5 | 55.0 |
| 30-39 yrs | 7.8 | 3.5 | 27.7 | 61.0 |
| 40-49 yrs | 3.7 | 1.8 | 25.4 | 69.1 |
| 50-54 yrs | 3.0 | 0.8 | 16.4 | 79.8 |
| 55-64 yrs | 1.9 | 0.9 | 10.6 | 86.6 |
| 65-74 yrs | 0.7 | 0.0 | 7.0 | 92.3 |
| 75 yrs or over | 0.6 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 97.7 |
20‑somethings are also the most likely to use other drugs
People in their twenties are also more likely than people in other age groups to say they have used drugs other than cannabis. After cannabis, ecstasy was the second most commonly used drug: 13 percent of those in the 20–29 age group said they had used it in the past year, in 2023. Among those aged 12 years and above, the share was 4 percent.