A Quarter of Israeli Society Addicted to Cannabis and Tranquilizers Since the Onset of Aggression

The Israeli Addiction and Mental Health Center has revealed that a quarter of Israelis have been regularly consuming tranquilizers and alcohol since the aggression against Gaza.

According to the report, at the onset of the aggression, the percentage of the occupation population consuming dangerous addictive substances, such as alcohol, cannabis, prescription drugs, and other narcotics, skyrocketed to 25%. This number remained stable even after the war ended.

In April 2022, the percentage of Israelis using high-risk substances was 22.7%. However, following the start of the aggression, this rate spiked to 26.1% by December 2023, and further increased slightly to 26.6% by March 2024.

Additionally, there was a sharp rise in the consumption of tranquilizers, which increased 2.5 times during the year of the war. Before the war, only 3.8% of the public in “Israel” consumed tranquilizers, but by June 2024, this rate surged to 9.5%.

The northern region, which was particularly affected by the attacks, witnessed the largest increase in the use of addictive tranquilizers, rising to 8.5%. The Gush Dan area saw the second-highest increase at 5%. The southern region experienced a 4% increase, while in occupied Jerusalem, the rise was 2.4%.

In 2022, the percentage of Israelis suffering from severe symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was approximately 12%. However, just two months after the war, in December 2023, a massive surge was recorded: 25% of the population reported experiencing such symptoms.

According to the report, nearly a year after the war’s outbreak, 17.4% of the population continues to suffer from severe PTSD symptoms. Among young people (aged 18-26), 27% reported severe PTSD symptoms, compared to 20% among middle-aged individuals (aged 27-39). Additionally, 26% of those serving in the military reported experiencing severe PTSD symptoms.

The center also stated that as of June, 53% of Israeli men and women who reported severe PTSD symptoms also exhibited dangerous levels of substance abuse, compared to just 19% among those who did not display severe post-traumatic symptoms.