Cannabis trends

The general rise in the cannabis trend indicator was due to increasing cannabis use perceived by the authorities in most of Africa, several parts of Asia (South-Asia, South-West Asia and Central Asia) and most of South America. This more than offset declines perceived in North America and some European countries, as well as the stabilization or declines perceived in several countries of East and South-East Asia. Trend data for Oceania suggest stabilization at lower levels, after cannabis use had fallen for several years, though there are some indications that the downward trend in the region actually continued. Cannabis use trends in Europe showed a mixed picture, with increases perceived in East and South-East Europe and stabilization or decline reported from several West European countries. 

Over the 1992 to 2005 period, the cannabis trend indicator shows that the rates of increase were similar in the Americas, in Europe and in Africa. Over time, however, the patterns differed. Following increases in the Americas in the 1990s, the trend stabilized and a net decline... 

Degenhardt L, Lynskey MT, Hall W Cohort trends in the age of initiation of drug use in Australia. Aust N Z J Public Health 24 421 26, 2000 Degenhardt L, Hall W, Lynskey MT The relationship between cannabis use, depression and anxiety among Australian adults findings from the National Survey of Mental Health and Well-Being. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 36 219— 227, 2001... 

Herbal cannabis seizures, in contrast, were down in 2005, a trend seen across continents. The reasons for this decline are due to increased eradication and are occurring in the context of stabilised demand and may be related to decreased transnational trafficking due to a growing reliance on domestic cultivation. Cannabis resin seizures were also down, but this can be directly tied to the decline in hashish production in Morocco. 

The consumer markets in North America appear to have contracted, but there has been an increase of cannabis use in Africa and in most countries of South America. The situation in Europe is mixed. A decline of cannabis use was found in the Oceania region, which has the world s highest levels of prevalence rates for cannabis. Countries of East South-East Asia showed stable or declining cannabis consumption trends while in South-Asia, South-West Asia and Central Asia the reported trends suggest an increase. 

Trends in world drug markets Cannabis market ... 

Despite some increase of cannabis herb production in South America (including Central America and the Caribbean), the overall proportion of cannabis herb production in the Americas declined from 54 per cent to 47 per cent of global production in 2005. This pattern of growing production in South America and declining production in North America is inconsistent with the long-term trend which shows strong increases in the North American proportion of global production. 

Cannabis herb seizures amounted to 4,600 mt and cannabis resin seizures to 1,300 mt in 2005. Small quantities of cannabis oil (700 litres) were also seized. Seizures of all three products declined in 2005 as compared to a year earlier, thus reversing the upward trend observed until 2004. Herb seizures dropped by 35 per cent, resin seizures by 11 per cent and cannabis oil seizures by 15 per cent. While changes in law enforcement priorities in some countries may have played a role, for the majority of countries lower seizures meant less trafficking as compared to the previous year. Taken together, cannabis herb and resin seizures are now back to the levels reported over the 2000-2002 period. 

Fig. 92 Cannabis use trends as perceived by experts regional changes, 1992-2005...

A strong decline in cannabis use was also reported among high-school students in Ontario (-19% over the 2003-2005 period). The previous upward trend was thus reversed. 

For the United Kingdom, which was Europe s largest cannabis market for many years, cannabis use is now showing a downward trend. Use among the general population (age 16-59) declined in England and Wales from 10.8 per cent in 2003/04 to 8.7 per cent in 2005/06. Including data from Scotland and Northern Ireland, the UK has now a prevalence rate of 8.4 per cent and thus ranks behind Spain and France. 

A total of 17 African countries reported rising levels of cannabis use in 2005, and only 4 countries saw a decline a further 4 countries described the cannabis situation as stable. As compared to a year earlier, the upward trend appears to have lost at least some of its momentum. For 2004, 20 countries saw cannabis use rising, only 3 reported a decline and 4 reported stabilization. 

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