Cannabis use in Norway increases – particularly among 21–25-year-olds
The proportion of Norwegians who have used cannabis in the past 12 months has increased since 2021. Cocaine is the most frequently used central stimulant in the past year.
Cannabis use in Norway at highest level since the pandemic
According to fhi.no, 30 per cent of Norwegians aged 16–64 years reported having used cannabis at some point in 2024, whilst just under 7 per cent reported use in the past 12 months and 3 per cent in the past four weeks. The increase is statistically significant compared with the period 2013–2021, and applies particularly to the three most recent years.
The data come from annual surveys conducted by Statistics Norway (SSB) on behalf of the Directorate of Health. In total, 24,074 people aged 16–64 years answered questions about illegal drug use in the period 2013–2024.
The increase is driven by 21–25-year-olds
Recent cannabis use – defined as use in the past 12 months and past four weeks – is most prevalent among the youngest age groups. Significantly more 16–30-year-olds reported use in the past 12 months compared with the entire sample.
The increase in the period 2022–2024 taken as a whole is, according to the FHI, statistically significant for all three age groups (16–20, 21–25 and 26–30 years), and is primarily driven by the 21–25-year-old age group.
Among the youngest (16–20 years), use pointed upwards before the pandemic, declined somewhat during the pandemic years, but is now back at pre-pandemic levels. The same pattern has been identified in other youth surveys.
Men use more than women
Gender differences are clear. Over one-third of men aged 16–30 years reported having used cannabis at some point in 2024, compared with just over one-quarter among women in the same age group. The differences are statistically significant for all three measures of use: ever, past 12 months and past four weeks.
Over time, the figures show a small but significant increase in cannabis use in the past 12 months among women for the years 2022–2024. For men, there is no corresponding combined increase for these three years, but the occurrence in 2024 alone was significantly higher than the average for the entire period 2013–2024.
Most have tried it only a few times
Of those who reported having used cannabis at some point, nearly 60 per cent had used it only 1–5 times. This illustrates that the "ever" measure is a limited measure of ongoing trends in the population.
The average age of first use of cannabis was 19.6 years in the entire sample. Acquaintances were by far the most important source of supply: around 80 per cent of those who had used cannabis in the past 12 months reported that they obtained or purchased the substance from acquaintances at their most recent use. Nine per cent purchased from strangers, whilst approximately 5 per cent reported purchases via social media.
Cocaine most used among central stimulants
After cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines and ecstasy/MDMA are the illegal substances most frequently reported as used in the population surveys. Between 6.1 and 8.7 per cent of adults (16–64 years) reported having used one of these substances at some point, according to 2024 figures.
Cocaine was the central stimulant most people reported recent use of – 3 per cent reported use in the past 12 months. For cocaine too, there are gender differences: larger proportions of men than women reported use, both ever and in the past 12 months.
About the survey
The FHI emphasises that surveys in general have methodological weaknesses: respondents may underreport their own use, and people with high consumption are likely to be underrepresented. The actual proportions in the population are probably somewhat higher than the figures show.
In 2024, Statistics Norway changed its data collection method, so that a proportion of respondents answered online instead of by telephone. The FHI considers it unlikely that this has affected the results to any significant degree, particularly because no differences were found in reported use between the two groups.
Source: Google News NO — Crime