Teen substance abuse in Canada is showing a changing trend according to a new study. The study examined the 2013 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey data which is compiled by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and the results showed some surprising new trends among teenagers and young adults. The answers from more than 10,000 students in Canada were included in the data that was used for the study. Teen substance abuse in Canada is changing, but the changes being seen are not positive. Canadian teens are smoking less and drinking less alcohol, but they are also turning to the recreational use of over the counter and prescription medications instead. Approximately one out of eight students surveyed reported recreational use of an opiate prescription medication, and a majority of these students accessed the drug abused in their own home.
Roughly 10% of the survey respondents reported that they had used cough syrups or other over the counter medications in order to get high. This indicates a serious problem, and teen substance abuse in Canada appears to be on the rise. Teens today are no longer using the same substances, but the rate of drug and alcohol abuse is still high and many teens are simply switching to drugs that are easier to obtain. Many of the teens involved in the survey for teen substance abuse in Canada also reported either driving while under the influence of a substance or riding in a car with someone driving who is under the influence. If you believe that your teen has a substance abuse problem then it is critical that they receive the help they need, and substance abuse treatment programs are available.
