The percentage of Dutch cannabis users in the general population aged 12 and above showed a slight increase between 1997 and 2001. The number of recent cannabis users rose from 326,000 to 408,000 in 4 years. Among young people aged 12 to 15 and secondary education pupils, the percentage of cannabis users remained stable over the past years. The popularity of cocaine has grown. The number of recent cocaine users in the general population doubled between 1997 and 2001. The increase was most prevalent among women. The Netherlands has the second largest percentage of users of cocaine in the European Union, and the fourth largest number of recent users. Cocaine, especially crack cocaine, presently is the main drug for many problematic hard drug users. Cocaine sniffing has become popular in the Amsterdam club and party scene. An increasing number of cocaine users seek professional help. Two in three of them experience problems with crack cocaine. The recorded acute mortality from cocaine is low, but rising. The number of ecstasy users in the general population increased between 1997 and 2001, in particular among women. Of all Member States in the European Union, the Netherlands has the lowest number of problem users of hard drugs (often opiates) per thousand inhabitants. In spite of a legal ban, the availability of alcoholic beverages among young people under the age of 16 is high, particularly in the hotel and catering industry. A large proportion of young men between the ages of 18 and 24 are heavy drinkers. This age group also has a relatively high percentage of victims of alcohol-related traffic accidents. There are indications that the popularity of GHB has risen. Use of this drug has been associated with sex offenses, traffic accidents, and deaths. The number of serious incidents linked to the use of GHB appears limited; exact figures are not available. 31 figures, 83 tables, 140 references, 7 attachments