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According to a regional study of marijuana use in Europe, the Netherlands (which is where Amsterdam is) happens to have one of the lowest rates of weed smokers on the continent.

Among adults in the Netherlands, 5.4 per cent used cannabis, compared with the European average of 6.8 per cent, according to an annual report by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, using latest available figures.

A higher percentage of adults in Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic and France took cannabis last year, the EU agency said, with the highest being Italy at 14.6 per cent. Usage in Italy used to be among the lowest at below 10 per cent a decade ago.

Countries with the lowest usage rates, according to the Lisbon-based agency, were Romania, Malta, Greece and Bulgaria.

This should evidence should shut up people who think that legalizing marijuana would increase abuse. At most, it will look higher because the people who are already smoking and hiding it will admit it. That’s about it though. Marijuana abuse would not be an issue if it is legalized.