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January 9th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda
By
Gareth Finighan
Last updated at 7:59 AM on 9th January 2012
It’s known for its spectacular wildlife, rugged scenery and surfing culture.
But a new study shows why Australians may have developed another national trait – a laid-back, casual lifestyle with plenty of time on the beach and an informal approach to almost anything.
For researchers from the universities of Queensland and New South Wales have found that the continent has the highest per capita consumption of marijuana in the world.
Drug of choice: The research found that marijuana is the most commonly taken illegal drug in the world
The study, printed in the medical
journal The Lancet, discovered that 15 per cent of Australians and
neighbouring New Zealanders aged between 15 and 64 used marijuana in
2009 – the latest year for which data is available.
Australia and New Zealand topped the league table despite evidence to suggest that consumption there has been falling for more than a decade. Although not legal in Australia, use of the drug is widely accepted and three states are pushing to have the substance decriminalised.
Researcher Wayne Hall said the geography of the country – which includes large areas of open space difficult to police – and a culture which centres around intoxicants, were likely reasons for Australia topping the table
‘Just look at the way we take alcohol as an integral part of everyday life,’ he said.
‘I think a lot of young people see cannabis in the same way that we see alcohol – as no big deal, as a drug just to use to have a good time.’
Socially acceptable: Researchers believe consumption of marijuana in Australia is so high because of a prevalent laid-back culture where taking centred around taking intoxicants
On the American continent, seven per cent of the population took the drug, although in the U.S. and Canada that figure rose to nearly 11 per cent.
Europe recorded a figure of 5.3 per cent, although there was a stark difference between consumption in western and central Europe (7.1 per cent) and eastern Europe (2.6 per cent).
Asia – where many countries impose the death penalty for drug trafficking – recorded the lowest marijuana use globally at no more than 2.5 per cent.
The study also discovered that marijuana was the most widely used illegal drug globally, with up to 203million of the world’s 7billion population taking the drug.
That compares to up to 56million people who used amphetamines, 14million to 21million using cocaine, and between 12million and 21million using opiates such as heroin.
The research was based on information obtained from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, as well as national surveys.
ESTIMATED NUMBER OF PEOPLE AGED 15–64
WHO USED MARIJUANA AT LEAST ONCE IN 2009
EUROPE
Average of between 5.2 and 5.3 per cent.
Western and central Europe – 7.1 per cent.
Eastern Europe – 2.6 per cent.
THE AMERICAS
Average of between6.7 and 7 per cent
U.S./Canada – 10.7 per cent.
Central America – between 2.2 and 2.5 per cent.
Caribbean – between 1.6 and 7.6 per cent.
South America – between 2.9 and 3 per cent.
ASIA
Average between 1.2 and 2.5 per cent.
East and southeast – between 0.4 and 1.6 per cent.
South Asia – betwen 1.9 and 3.1 per cent.
Central Asia – between 3.8 and 4.4 per cent.
Middle East – between 2.4 and 4.8 per cent.
OCEANIA
Average of between 9.3 and 14.8 per cent.
AFRICA
Average of between 3.8 and 10.4 per cent.
North Africa – between 3.6 and 8 per cent.
West/Central Africa – between 5.2 and 14.6 per cent.
East AFrica – between 1.7 and 6.5 per cent.
Southern Africa – between 3.9 and 9 per cent.
Global estimate – Between 2.8 and 4.5 per cent.
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Perhaps the Aussies and NZers were a bit more honest than the others. 🙂
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Somehow, I feel less intimidated by a crowd of stoned people than I do amongst a drunken pub crawling crowd in a UK town center.
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When something looks too good to be true, that’s because it usually is. 15 per cent of Australians using marijuana!!!! I don’t know where this study was undertaken, but it certainly wasn’t undertaken within mainstream Australian society.
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“Asia – where many countries impose the death penalty for drug trafficking – recorded the lowest marijuana use globally at no more than 2.5 per cent.” Prohibition is effective against safe, non-addictive drugs. It is not effective against really nasty, dirty, addictive drugs. Asia has a problem with drugs like street heroin and methamphetamine.
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Could be cannabis is not so bad after all?
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