In its survey of legal and illegal drug use in 17 countries, including the Netherlands and other countries with less stringent drug laws, The World Health Organization's results reveal that Americans report the highest level of cocaine and marijuana use.

Americans were four times more likely to report using cocaine in their lifetime than the next closest country, New Zealand (16% versus 4%). Marijuana use was more widely reported worldwide, and the U.S. also had the highest rate of use at 42.4% compared with 41.9% of New Zealanders.

In contrast, in the Netherlands, which has more liberal drug policies than the United States, only 1.9% of people reported cocaine use and 19.8% reported marijuana use.

In the study, researchers surveyed more than 54,000 adults in the Americas (Colombia, Mexico and the United States), Europe (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Ukraine), Middle East and Africa (Israel, Lebanon, Nigeria, South Africa), Asia (Japan, China) and Oceania (New Zealand).

The survey included questions about illegal drug use, including cocaine and marijuana, and legalized drug use, such as alcohol and tobacco, during the participant's lifetime.

Overall, alcohol had been used by most of those surveyed in the Americas, Europe, Japan and New Zealand compared with much smaller proportions in the Middle East, Africa and China. Tobacco use was also most common in the U.S. (74%), followed by Lebanon (67%) and Mexico (60%).

Researchers found gender and socioeconomic differences in both legal and illegal drug use. Men were more likely than women to have used legal and illegal drugs, and younger adults were more likely than older adults to have used drugs of all kinds.

Singles were more likely than married adults to report tobacco, marijuana and cocaine use, but not alcohol use. More affluent individuals were more likely to use both legal and illegal drugs.

(Source: http://www.webmd.com)