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EITB Data
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Only 44% of the population believe that cannabis poses a health risk, compared to 96% in tobacco

The perception of cannabis risk is the lowest among the drugs analyzed, according to EITB Data. This low perception may be related to its prevalence and collides with the data for poisoning emergencies.

Cannabis is one of the drugs with the lowest perception of health risk in Basque society . According to data collected by EITB Data,only 44% of the population believe that cannabis use can cause "many or enough health problems". 

Thus, among the drugs studied, cannabis has the lowest perception of risk, while tobacco is the highest. Ondoren, cocaine appears  (80% see that it can cause "quite or many problems").

Perception of health risk

Campaigns and cannabis

The latest EITB Data report states that "tobacco awareness campaigns and social stigma in relation to cigarette use have affected the perception of the population." "In the case of other substances, however, campaigns have been less intense or less effective. "

The study also points out that this lower perception of risk may be related to the prevalence of cannabis in Basque society.

Impact on everyday life

According to EITB Data, 58% of occasional cannabis users — who have consumed at least once in the last 12 months — have controlled consumption, which has no significant impact on their daily lives.

In contrast, 14% have developed a high dependency, and about 22% are "risk consumers," with warning signals but without "loss of control. "Finally, 7% may have a" moderate dependence, "with negative effects on memory, relationships, or performance.

On the other hand, this low perception of the risk of cannabis contrasts with the data on emergencies due to poisoning in the Basque Country. Since 2003, 34% of emergenciescaused by the use of illegal drugs have been caused by cannabis and 28% by benzodiazepines.

People who go to emergencies due to cannabis use generally have symptoms such as tachycardia, respiratory difficulties, consciousness disorders, acute psychosis, anxiety, panic crises and, in the most serious cases, coma.

Emergency data

Besides, cannabis is the second drug that causes the most average days of hospitalization per patient, behind benzodiazepines. 

Emergencies and days of hospitalization

Over the past two decades, it has produced an average of 13.4 days of hospitalization per patient.

Finally, as far as detoxification treatments are concerned, cannabis is the secondmost hospitalized drug, after cocaine.

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