Consumption of cannabis in Portugal has increased over the last five years, with more tokers and more people indulging daily, according to the Drugs and Drug Addiction 2016 report, released today.The report notes increasing consumption, between 2012 and 2016/7, in women and in the 25-34 and 35-44 age groups.
Portugal continues to rank below European average values for recent cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy use, the three illicit substances with the highest consumption rate in the country.
The Azores and Portugal’s northern region presented the highest recent and current drug use in the 15-74 age bracket, and in the 15-34 age bracket, along with the Central region and Lisbon.
The Alentejo was the region with the lowest recent and current use of any drug in these age groups, according to the document.
The director of the Intervention Service in Additive Behaviors and Dependencies (SICAD), João Goulão, noted the "positive evolution" of some indicators in the area of alcohol, such as ease of access to alcoholic drinks for minors and the age that young people started to imbibe.
However, some indicators pointed to a worsening of risk or dependency in the adult population years and "other negative developments of concern in some population subgroups," such as in women and older age groups, says Goulão.
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