Americans say cannabis is safer than alcohol and cigarettes (and less addictive than technology)

Americans say cannabis is far less dangerous than opioids, alcohol and cigarettes, according to a new poll conducted last week by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and Morning Consult. The survey results are from interviews with 2,201 adults conducted between April 20 and 22, 2023 with a margin of error of +/-2 percentage points. It analyzed public opinion on the dangers and addictive potential of six different substances – and technology.

Regarding cannabis, 38% said it was “very or fairly unsafe”. In comparison, 84% of respondents said they consider cigarettes unsafe. 64% considered alcohol unsafe, 66% considered prescription opioids unsafe, and 75% considered nonprescription opioids unsafe. As a reminder of the negative public perception of e-cigarettes, 76% responded that e-cigarettes were unsafe. While technology will lose out in other categories (here we unwittingly ironically tell you to keep scrolling your screen to find out), people said technology was safer than cannabis, with just 23% rating it as very or somewhat unsafe designated, making it the only category considered safer than marijuana.

The survey also analyzed the public’s perceptions of addiction. In this category, in addition to technology, they find cannabis to be less addictive than all of the substances mentioned. 64 percent said cannabis can be addictive. 87% say cigarettes are addictive and 84% think alcohol is addictive. Prescription opioids account for 83%, while non-prescribed opioids account for 74%. 81% believe e-cigarettes are addictive and 75% believe technology is addictive.

“It’s clear we got the message across that cigarettes are dangerous and addictive,” APA President Petros Levounis said in a press release. “We can help discourage more Americans from other potentially addictive behaviors, such as drinking and using technology.” “For example, vaping is just as addictive, if not more so, than smoking cigarettes,” adds Levounis.

Although the scientific community agrees that addiction is a disease (check out this study published in the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience), 47% said addiction resulted from “personal weakness,” giving us insight into the stigma of addiction substance disorders. While cannabis is not generally considered to be physically addictive, keep in mind that other substances covered in the survey, such as B. opioids, due to their effects on the brain, as research confirms. For example, if someone is prescribed opioids after being injured in a car accident and develops an addiction, it has been scientifically proven that it is due to changes in the brain rather than a lack of morals.

However, Levounis says the survey can be helpful as it provides insight into how best to educate the public. “We can also ensure that people are aware of our current safe and effective treatments for both substance use disorders and behavioral addictions,” he says. “Addiction treatment works.”

And the numbers are higher among those who hold less regressive views about the cause of addiction. 76% of respondents said addiction was a disease and 93% of respondents said substance use disorders could be treated. 76% said the disease was preventable.

The survey also offers insights into the importance of raising awareness about naloxone, a life-saving opioid for overdose control. Only 58% said they knew about naloxone and only 35% said they knew how to access it if they needed it in the event of an overdose. Naloxone can reverse an overdose, but only if taken 30 to 90 minutes after the incident is discovered. As such, it’s something everyone should have on hand rather than looking for when they spot an overdose. When you consider that the study found that 71% of Americans say they know how they can help someone in their life struggling with addiction, it’s clear that one of the most important findings from the research is the importance of addiction awareness of naloxone.