"According to the results of the Flash Eurobarometer – Youth attitudes on drugs held in 2011 among young Europeans of 15-24 years, the perceptions of health risk associated with the use of drugs varied according the substances and the frequency of their use.
"In Young Portuguese, the perception of high risk to health associated with the occasional (once or twice) of illicit substances was much higher in relation to cocaine (65%) and ecstasy (51%) than to cannabis (24%). The vast majority considered as a high risk to health the regular use of cocaine (94%) and ecstasy (89%) as well as although in significantly lower proportion, the regular use of cannabis (64%).
"Compared to European averages, it appears that the perceptions of young Portuguese 15-24 years, generally follow European averages, being mentioned, though with not relevant differences, the small attribution of high risk to health in the regular use of cannabis and in the occasional and regular use of ecstasy."
General-Directorate for Intervention on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (SICAD), "2013 National Report (2012 data) to the EMCDDA by the Reitox National Focal Point: PORTUGAL: New Development, Trends and in-depth information on selected issues" (Lisbon, Portugal: 2013), p. 36.
