The annual report by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction was published late last year, so while it´s not exactly ´hot off the presses´ news, the study´s findings and conclusions are well worth mentioning.
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 regional study published. Among adults in the Netherlands, 5.4 percent used cannabis, compared with the European average of 6.8 percent, 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 percent. Usage in Italy used to be among the lowest at below 10 percent 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 stabilised and is beginning to show signs of decline, the agency said, owing to several national campaigns to curb and treat use of the drug.
“Data from general population and school surveys point to a stabilising or even decreasing situation,” the report said.
Source: Reuters.com
Marijuana & Cannabis Blog 
I have been campaigning for years for legalization of cannabis and Cannabis Seeds Sale in the UK. I can only welcome actions that ensure the law is upheld and that the best example for legalization in Europe is successful. The Netherlands has the lowest amount of Cannabis users in % compared to any other European country, proving legalization works.
Thousands of users and growers in the UK are still pushed in the criminal circuit because of the current legislation. The UK has a very two fold system buying cannabis seeds online on websites is legal. These companies sell over 900 strains of marijuana globally as souvenirs… because germinating and growing the seeds is illegal! When looking at the turnover of these companies I can only deduct that growing cannabis is widely done in the UK and Europe! Maybe it is time to decriminalize the sale and growth for personal consumption. This will help fund the stricken UK economy and undoubtedly have a positive impact on the NHS and Police Services
[…] suggests that consumption will increase, but it is unclear by how much, according to the Rand study. That is because nobody […]
Belgium is another country who have more relaxed laws.
“For adults in Belgium, consumption in one’s home and possession of quantities of up to 3 grams or one female plant is legal.” -wikipedia
And their % of population using cannabis is no higher then the UK where is is illegal.
[…] him that according to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, cannabis use is lower in the Netherlands, where it is legal, than in the UK or most other European countries. And someone should remind him […]
[…] matter of principle, that people own their lives, and thus their bodies. On a more practical point, he’s fucking wrong. Portugal shows similar results in their decriminalisation. I can see no reason to believe that […]