Fewer Ontario teens are smoking cigarettes than ever before -- good news that is tempered by continuing concerns around binge drinking, and driving while under the influence of cannabis, according to the 2011 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey released today by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). The survey, which included 9,288 students across Ontario in grades 7 to 12, is the longest running student survey in Canada.
“We were pleasantly surprised to find that students’ use of most of the substances tracked by this survey declined during the past decade, even for those substances that historically have been used at high rates," said Dr. Robert Mann, CAMH Senior Scientist and Principal Investigator on the survey. “Most notably, the proportion of students who smoke cigarettes dropped from 12 per cent in the previous 2009 survey to 9 per cent, an all-time low since 1977. Also, the proportion using cannabis dropped from 26 per cent to 22 per cent. However, pockets of real concern remain. For instance, one in eight students (13 per cent) reported symptoms of a drug use problem, and among those who drink, a third reported drinking hazardously or harmfully as measured by a validated screening instrument." One in six students (16 per cent) reported being drunk or high at school a least once in the past year. > > > > Read More
