Canadian Drug Crisis

Substance abuse is on the rise worldwide, and Canada is not immune. Here are some Canadian statistics on drug and alcohol abuse:

• 47,000 Canadian deaths are linked to substance abuse annually.
  Health Officer's Council of British Columbia
• 23% of Ontario students report that they were offered, sold, or given a drug at school in the last year. That's about 219,000 students.
• 42% of Ontario students surveyed have used an illicit substance in the last year.
• 83% of Ontario students in grade 12 drink alcohol. 49% of gr. 12 students admit to binge drinking.
• The top four substances used by Ontario students: 58% alcohol; Cannabis (marijuana) 25%; Non-prescribed use of prescription pain relievers such as codeine, Percocet, Percodan, Demerol, or  Tylenol #3, 17%; Tobacco 11.7%.
  Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• In a 2008 study, 23% of 14 year-olds and 70% of 17 year-olds in Saskatchewan reported drinking 5 or more drinks within a 2-hour period at least once in the past month.
  Government of Saskatchewan - Department of Health
• Street youth are 11 times more likely to die of drug overdose and suicide.
  Public Health Agency of Canada
• Substance abuse has cost our health care system $8 billion.
  Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse
• Female addicts are 54% more likely to die prematurely because of their drug use.
  University of Toronto
  B.C. Bud (marijuana) crops generate an estimated $5 to $7 billion annually.
  Edmonton Journal
• CSIS estimates there are roughly 950 organized criminal groups active in Canada (and about 80 per cent derive revenues from illegal drug sales).
  Edmonton Journal
• 14 gangs currently operate within the borders of Toronto's Division 12.
  Toronto Star
• Canada's illegal drug trade hit a 30-year high in 2007.
  Financial Post
  For every $5 spent on drug rehabilitation by the Canadian government, $95 is spent on incarceration of drug users.
  Health Officer's Council of BC
• 60% of illicit drug users in Canada are between the ages of 15 and 24.
  Statistics Canada
• 10% of night time drivers showed evidence of drug use while only 8.1% tested positive for alcohol.
  Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse
• Pedestrians under the influence of alcohol accounted for 12.3% of alcohol related road deaths in Canada.
  Traffic Injury Research Foundation
• UN Office on Drugs and Crime found 16.8% of Canadians aged 15 to 64 smoked marijuana or used other cannabis products.
  CBC News
• One out of every three high school kids in Ontario who is smoking is choosing to buy his cigarettes from, basically, a criminal.
  Canadian Press
• A recent national survey found that between 1994 and 2004, the proportion of Canadians who reported having used an illicit drug in their lifetime rose from 28% to 45%.
  Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse
• Among the over 100,000 drug-related incidents identified by police in 2007, 62% involved cannabis. Of these, three-quarters were for possession.
  Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse
• In its 2008 annual report on organized crime, Criminal Intelligence Service Canada (CISC) states that Canada has become one of the primary source countries in the world for ecstasy.
  Statistics Canada
• In 2007, the police-reported rate of drug offences in Canada reached its highest point in 30 years.
  Statistics Canada
• In 2006/2007, about half of all drug-related court cases were stayed, withdrawn, dismissed or discharged.
  Statistics Canada
• When asked about their specific crime worries, 52% of those polled said they were "very concerned" about drug activity.
  National Post
• About one Ontario student in 50 (2%) said he or she had used crack at least once in the past year. This is about 19,300 students.
  Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• Children of addicts are up to 9 times more likely to develop an addiction of their own.
  Web4Health
• In 2005, about one Ontario student in 20 (4.4%) in grades 7 to 12 said he or she had used cocaine at least once in the past year. This is almost 43,000 students.
  Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• Between 1991 and 2007, opioid-related deaths doubled in Ontario.
  Globe and Mail
• Oxycodone prescriptions (known by brand names Oxycontin & Percocet) have increased 850% in 10 years.
  Globe and Mail