[peter12]

Originally Posted by rubecube

And this study shows a decrease for the past 15 years and a much larger sample size, so it seems that you're being selective with your evidence.

http://www.drugwarfacts.org/cms/The+....8j41jrLV.dpbs

"The most recent survey on drug use in the general population was conducted in 2009. However, due to methodological changes, the data are not comparable with those of previous surveys (1997, 2001 and 2005). Hence, recent trends cannot be described.

That's interesting, and would appear to support your position. I do note that the authors admit their sample, and survey procedures invalidate their results from being compared with previous surveys. That is certainly a strike against.

When taking a deeper look, it appears that peaks and troughs are strongly correlated with the availability of drugs. I remember reading that the coffee shops serving marijuana had been greatly reduced around the time your study was written. It appears that I was correct.

It is striking that the trend in cannabis use among youth in the Netherlands rather parallels the four stages in the availability of cannabis identified above. The number of adolescent cannabis users peaked when the cannabis was distributed through an underground market (late 1960s and early 1970s). Then the number decreased as house dealers were superseding the underground market (1970s), and went up again after coffee shops tookover the sale of cannabis (1980s), and stabilised or slightly decreased by the end of the 1990s when the number of coffee shops was reduced.

http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/SEN/Co...ion/korf-e.htm