Estimated Prevalence of Problem Drug Use in The Netherlands, 2012

Problem Drug Use

"The previous estimate of the total number of problem opiates users in the Netherlands pertained to the period 2008-2009. For that previous period, it was estimated that there were about 17,700 more or less problematic opiates users (Cruts and Van Laar 2010). This estimate has now been updated for the year 2012. It is estimated that in this year there were about 14,000 more or less problematic opiates users, a decrease of about 21% compared to 2008-2009 (Cruts, Van Laar, and Buster 2013). This updated estimate has been reported to the EMCDDA by means of the Standard Table ST7_2013_NL_01.
"For both estimates, the method of the treatment multiplier was applied. From February until June 2013, a total of 401 more problematic opiates users were recruited in five Dutch cities to obtain the field sample required to perform the treatment multiplier. The 401 respondents were recruited in the cities of Amsterdam (100 respondents), Rotterdam (100 respondents), Utrecht (71 respondents), Eindhoven (70 respondents), and Haarlem (60 respondents). Their mean age was 47.7 years within a range of 23 to 74 years, 86% was male and 14% was female. These more problematic opiates users were contacted, recruited, and interviewed by experienced field workers who applied a structured questionnaire (Schaap and Kools 2013). The respondents used heroin (81.8%) or methadone (88.8%), or both substances."