“PASTA BASE”, COCAINE AND PSYCHOSOCIAL DETERIORATION: A COMPARATIVE STUDY IN A LOCAL SAMPLE OF DRUG USERS AIMS: To compare psychosocial deterioration experimented by “pasta base” (PBC) and cocaine clorhydrate users based on the data obtained from admission charts in an ambulatory treatment center in the city of Buenos Aires. METHOD: Differences in drug use frequency, criminal cases, educational attainment, number of previous treatments, employment, place of residence and possession of health insurance between both groups of users were statistically analyzed. The intensity of the association between the three latter variables and the rest was calculated, as well as the intensity of the association between substance of preference and all of the aforementioned variables. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences in some of the selected variables were found between PBC and cocaine users. Similar differences were found between employed and unemployed patients, regardless of the substance of preference. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest a greater level of psychosocial deterioration in PBC users compared to cocaine users. However, this difference is mild and could be attributed to certain social conditions of exclusion. Moreover, these results allow to question certain common prejudices associated with the use of PBC.