ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS USE BY CANADIAN YOUTH

A NATIONAL ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS

SURVEY (1989) REPORT

A Technical Report

Prepared by

Marc Eliany

Scot Wortley

and

Ed Adlaf

For the

Health Promotion Studies Unit

Health Promotion Directorate

Health Services and Promotion Branch

Health and Welfare Canada

September 1991

* The opinions expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Health and Welfare Canada.

Suggested citation:

Health and Welfare Canada (1991)

Alcohol and Other Drugs Use by Canadian Youth

A National Alcohol and Other Drugs Survey (1989) Report

Prepared by Marc Eliany, Scot Wortley and Ed Adlaf

(c) Minister of Supply and Services Canada, 1991

Cat. No.

ISBN

Également disponible en français sous le titre

<<L'usage de l'alcool et d'autres drogues par les jeunes Canadiens

Un rapport de l'enquete nationale sur l'alcool et les autres drogues (1989)>>

PREFACE

This is the third in a series of reports describing the results of Canada's National Alcohol and Other Drugs Survey(1989). This report focuses on consumption of alcohol and other drugs by youth and young adults aged 15 to 24, related behaviour and consequences. The survey was carried out by Statistics Canada on behalf of Health and Welfare Canada in March 1989. In total, 11,634 adult Canadians 15 years of age or over participated in the survey, including 1,887 youth and young adults aged 15 to 24. Respondents were asked a broad array of questions about their use of alcohol and other drugs, the extent of use, patterns of use and the circumstances and settings associated with use. They were questioned about health, social and economic problems arising from the misuse of alcohol, illicit, prescription and over-the-counter drugs, and they were asked what could be done to prevent such problems. All respondents were guaranteed complete anonymity and confidentiality.

The survey results provide a solid basis for evaluating the dimensions of the problems caused by alcohol and other drugs use among Canadian youth. This report is intended to inform policy and program development throughout Canada, to stimulate dialogue and debate among practitioners in the field, to provide a basis for further research and, especially, to equip Canadians with the information they need to make informed decisions about alcohol and other drug use.

Despite its impressive scope, the National Alcohol and Other Drugs Survey (NADS) has a number of limitations. It excludes certain groups, such as adolescents under 15, the homeless, and people living in institutions. As well, only a limited number of the thousands of psychotropic and other substances currently available in Canada could be studied. Separate investigations focusing upon these important topics will be undertaken elsewhere to complete the picture.

Research into drug abuse in Canada is still in its infancy, and the nature and extent of the problem needs more documentation. This study makes an important contribution to bridging the information gap, and paving the way toward effective long-term action.

Canada's Drug Strategy

The National Alcohol and Other Drugs Survey is part of Canada's Drug Strategy (CDS). The Strategy was launched on May 27, 1987. It is based on extensive consultation between the federal government, provincial and territorial governments, non-governmental organizations and addiction experts.

The federal government allocated $210 million over five years to enhance existing programs and to fund initiatives in five federal departments.

The objective of the CDS is to reduce the harmful effects of substance abuse on individuals, families and communities by addressing both the supply and demand sides of the problem.

Canada's Drug Strategy balances prevention/education measures on the one hand with interdiction/enforcement measures on the other. It is founded on the premise that long-term reduction in substance abuse can only be achieved by addressing the root cause of the problem - the demand. Thus, about 70% of Drug Strategy resources are directed at the priority areas of education, prevention and treatment.

When Canada's Drug Strategy was launched, five federal departments received funding for new initiatives under the leadership of Health and Welfare Canada. The overall Strategy however comprises many federal departments. Some received new funding for programs already in existence when CDS was announced. Others have subsequently developed or are in the process of developing programs related to combatting alcohol and other drugs abuse. All are partners in Canada's Drug Strategy -- as are the provinces and territories, and organizations receiving federal funds for programs aimed at reducing alcohol and other drug abuse.

At the present time, 14 federal departments and agencies, all of the provinces and territories and hundreds of non-government organizations can be counted as partners in Canada's Drug Strategy.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This report was prepared by Marc Eliany of the Health Promotion Studies Unit,Health and Welfare Canada, Scot Wortley of the Centre for Urban and Community Studies of the University of Toronto and Ed Adlaf of the Prevention Studies Department of the Addiction Research Foundation, Toronto.

The survey team consisted of Marc Eliany, NADS Project Manager, Dr. Norman Giesbrecht of the Addiction Research Foundation, who acted as principal advisor, and Dr. Mike Nelson, special advisor to the Health Services and Promotion Branch of Health and Welfare Canada. The authors of this report and the survey team are indebted to the staff of the Health Promotion Directorate, in particular the Alcohol and Other Drugs Unit and the Health Promotion Studies Unit. We thank Dr. Tarik Bhatti and Pamela Fralick for comments and advice as HWC internal reviewers.

We also extend our gratitude to Dr. Florence Andrews of the Department of Sociology, Carleton University, Ottawa and Dr. Henry Wechsler, Department of Health and Social Behaviour, Harvard School of Public Administration, Boston, Mass., for their useful suggestions as external reviewers; the staff of the Special Surveys Division at Statistics Canada who carried out the interviews and prepared the data tape, in particular Gary Catlin, Anne Haining and Karen Johnston;the staff of the Policy Planning and Information Branch of HWC for their invaluable assistance in data processing, in particular Bill Bradley, Prem Khosla, John Hancock and Ferdous Noor; Margaret Cargo, Susan Santi and Jacinth Tracey who assisted in the preparation of this report and Gordon Macmillan,Kay Rawlings and Marilyn Ryan for their assistance in preparing this publication.

Information and comments on this report may be addressed to:

Health Promotion Studies Unit

4th Floor, Jeanne Mance Building

Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, Ontario

K1A 1B4

Copies of this report may be obtained by contacting:

Publications Unit

Health Services and Promotion Branch

5th Floor, Jeanne Mance Building

Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, Ontario

K1A 1B4

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

LIST OF TABLES

LIST OF FIGURES

HIGHLIGHTS

INTRODUCTION

PART ONE: DRINKING BY CANADIAN YOUTH

Definitions

Prevalence of Alcohol Consumption

Patterns of Alcohol Use

Region

Age

Gender

Recent Trends

Alcohol-related Problems

Problems With One's Own Alcohol Use

Drinking and Driving

Problems Caused by Other People's Alcohol Use

Reasons for Drinking

Drinking Companions of Young Canadians

Friends

Family Members

Co-workers

Spouse or Partner

Drinking Alone

Places Young Canadians Drink

Attitudes Towards Drinking in Specific Situations

PART TWO: CIGARETTE SMOKING BY CANADIAN YOUTH

The Prevalence of Smoking

Region

Age

Gender

Trends in Smoking Behaviour

PART THREE: OTHER DRUGS

Illicit Drug Use

Cannabis (Marijuana and Hashish)

Cocaine or Crack

LSD, Speed or Heroin

Licit Drug Use

PART FOUR: MULTIPLE DRUG USE

DISCUSSION

REFERENCES

APPENDIX

A - National Alcohol and Other Drugs Survey-Questionnaire

B - Methodology

C - Figures

D - Tables