"According to what is currently known, there are only a small number of dependent drug users who exclusively consume cocaine; most of those who are dependent on drugs consume heroin first and foremost. However, cocaine is increasingly consumed in addition to heroin.

"On the basis of existing data it can be assumed that the number of heroin dependents dropped from around 30,000 in 1992 to 26,000 in 2002. At the same time, in the last 10 to 15 years the number of deaths related to drug consumption has decreased from what used to be 640 to 740 per year to a current annual figure of 250. However, for several years now the trend has stopped moving downwards."