Bermuda has one of the highest percentages of cannabis users in the world, according to the United Nations.

In a breakdown of more than 200 countries and states, Bermuda ranked sixth for cannabis use and joint eighth for cocaine in the World Drug Report 2014, published by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The report lists the annual prevalence of cannabis use as a percentage of the population aged between 15 and 64. It states that 10.9 percent of Bermuda’s population uses the drug, citing a “government source” and figures from 2009.

But the Department for National Drug Control disputed the UNODC’s findings, saying they estimated annual prevalence of cannabis use at just 5.2 percent.

According to the UN, the country with the most users was Iceland with 18.3 percent, followed by the USA on 14.8 percent and New Zealand on 14.6 percent. Nigeria (14.3 percent) and Canada (12.2 percent) complete the top five, with Australia (10.3 percent), Spain (9.6 percent), Zambia (9.5 percent) and the Czech Republic (9.2 percent) following Bermuda in the top 10.

St Lucia, Barbados and Jamaica also feature in the top 17 for cannabis use per capita, on 8.87 percent; 8.3 percent and 7.21 percent respectively.

Scotland topped the list of the countries with the highest percentage of cocaine users, with 2.4 percent, followed by Spain and the USA (both 2.3 percent), and Australia and Uruguay (both 2.1 percent). Bermuda ranks joint eighth with Canada, with 1.3 percent.

The list uses the most recent available figures from each country citing various sources, such as government statistics, household surveys, UN estimates or adjusted from other sources.

However, Bermuda’s small population makes the per capita figure high in comparison with other nations — according to the UNODC, less than 7,000 people on the island use cannabis compared with about 58,500 people on Iceland and nearly 47 million Americans.

And Joanne Dean, director of the Department for National Drug Control, said their annual prevalence statistics were much lower than those used by the UNODC.

“Based on our local data in comparison to the data in this report, it cannot be concluded that Bermuda has one of the highest prevalence for cannabis use in the world’,” she said.

“Looking at prevalence of cannabis use as officially published by the Department for National Drug Control as part of its prevalence-based research, Bermuda’s 22.6 percent (lifetime use); 5.2 percent annual use), and 3.7 percent (current use) among the resident adult population (defined for the purposes of the National Household Survey as 16+ years) as indicated in the last NHS 2013 would, in fact, indicate lower annual prevalence than many regions/sub- regions.

“Bermuda does not officially submit data to the UNODC for its publication, although our country’s data is widely publicised and disseminated.

“It is the intention of the DNDC to establish contact with the UNOCD in the future and provide Bermuda’s official statistics on drug use prevalence.”

The UNODC also focuses on Colorado and Washington in the US, as well as Uruguay, which have various policies allowing recreational and medicinal cannabis use.

The issue of similar decriminalisation is being debated by the Government and Opposition, with National Security spokesman Jeff Baron telling the Senate this week that Government favoured a gradual approach, with decriminalisation and the use of medical marijuana rather than outright legalisation.

PLP Senator Marc Daniels backs legalisation, and this week told The Royal Gazette it would mean an end to people being placed on the US stop list for minor offences, and reduce the number of people appearing in court to face drugs charges.

The UNODC said it was too early to understand the impact of allowing recreational use of cannabis, under some circumstances, in Uruguay and the US states of Washington and Colorado.

However, the report outlines potential benefits and some concerns.

It states: “Experts estimate [drug] cartel losses of nearly $3 billion from the initiatives that passed in Colorado and Washington — with 20-30 percent cuts in profits.”

The report says that “tax revenues from retail cannabis sales may provide significant revenue, although there is uncertainty concerning how much can be raised”.

“Legalisation may also increase income and social security tax revenues by shifting labour from criminal to legal and taxed activities.”

But the UNODC also had concerns about decriminalisation, reporting that “it is unclear how legalisation will affect public budgets in the short or long term, but expected revenue will need to be cautiously balanced against the costs of prevention and health care”.

“A series of other effects, such as consequences related to national security, health care, family problems, low performance, absenteeism, car and workplace accidents and insurance, could create significant costs for the state,” the report adds.

“It is also important to note that legalisation does not eliminate trafficking in that drug,” the UNODC said.

It also noted: “Although the general public may perceive cannabis to be the least harmful illicit drug, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of persons seeking treatment for cannabis use disorders over the past decade.”

Almost two-thirds of reporting countries ranked cannabis as the primary substance of abuse.

The report and statistics can be viewed at www.unodc.org