- Design
- National household survey
- Period / population
- Spain, 2024; residents aged 15–64
- Review status
- AI-assisted educational summary; no independent clinician review.
Alcohol was the most commonly reported substance in the past year. Patterns differed by substance, age and recorded sex; those categories should not be collapsed into one “addiction rate”.
The survey and its headline figures
EDADES 2024 surveyed 26,878 people aged 15–64 living in Spanish households. Reported use in the previous 12 months was 76.5% for alcohol, 12.6% for cannabis, 12.0% for hypnosedatives with or without a prescription, and 2.5% for cocaine.
Past-year hypnosedative use was 14.7% among women and 9.3% among men. Cannabis use was 21.9% among those aged 15–24. These are the report’s sex and age categories; they do not describe every gender identity. People outside the survey’s household and age coverage are not represented by these estimates.
How to read the comparison
| Substance | Past-year use | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | 76.5% | Household residents aged 15–64 |
| Cannabis | 12.6% | Same population |
| Hypnosedatives | 12.0% | Includes prescribed use |
| Cocaine | 2.5% | Powder and/or base |
The timeframe belongs beside the number. A past-year measure counts occasional use as well as more frequent use. It cannot, by itself, answer how often a person used a substance, why they used it, or whether they experienced loss of control.
Prescribed use needs careful language
A prescription, physical dependence and a substance use disorder are different concepts. NICE guidance on dependence-forming medicines supports shared review and a planned approach to withdrawal. Survey differences are a starting point for questions about prescribing, symptoms and access, not proof that one sex is more “addicted”.
For example, an article comparing two percentages should identify the precise question asked in the survey. If one includes prescribed treatment and another asks only about non-medical use, the two numbers are not interchangeable.
Questions for a better regional analysis
- Does a result concern all respondents, people who used the substance, or people in treatment?
- Are age bands and recall periods the same across years?
- Were estimates weighted, and is uncertainty available in the detailed tables?
- Does the proposed explanation have supporting research, or is it speculation?
Our interpretation is that separate substance-specific analyses are more useful than a single national ranking. For care decisions, begin with the person’s current needs. A national household average cannot identify which local clinic is appropriate, whether detoxification is needed, or how an individual will respond to care.
See the medication dependence guide and cannabis guide for the next questions to bring to a professional.
Sources and further reading
Sources checked on 18 September 2026. Publication and data years are identified separately.
Published by AddictionResearch with AI-assisted preparation. General education; no independent clinician review is claimed.
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