Measuring the Cannabis Market in Finland—A Consumption-Based Estimate

Abstract

According to a frequently voiced opinion drug seizures represent 5 to 10 percent of drug traded in the market. In this article we estimate the size of the Finnish cannabis trade by calculating the number of users and the amount of the substance consumed in a year. We divide the subjects into five different groups based on the annual frequency of use: experimenters (1–4 days), modest occasional users (5–12 days), frequent occasional users (13–51 days), weekly users (52–181 days) and, finally, daily users (182–365 days). The highest number of users was found in the group of modest occasional users, while daily users were accountable for the greatest share of total consumption. According to our calculations the amount of seized cannabis corresponds to 10–23 percent of the total amount on the market which means that authorities operate more effectively than what is generally believed.