Some 50% of young men and just under 33% of women between the ages of 20 and 25 have smoked cannabis, according to figures published by the national statistics office CBS on Monday.

Young men also tend to use cannabis on a more regular basis than young women, according to the CBS. Around 10% of males between the ages of 15 and 20 are regular users compared to 5% of girls in the same age group, says the CBS.
The CBS survey also indicates that young people with a higher education are more likely to experiment with cannabis. Some 36% of university and college (HBO) students have tried cannabis compared to 27% who left school at 16, says the CBS. But regular cannabis use is more prevalent among the lower educated.
And young people living in big cities are three times more likely to smoke cannabis than those in the countryside, says the CBS.