Substance Use

Alcohol

Heavy Drinking Episodes

Heavy Drinking is defined as four or more drinks within a single event for women, and five or more drinks for men.

In 2017/18, within the Health Unit region, an estimated 24.5% (age-standardized) of persons 19+ years of age met or exceeded the heavy drinking limit at least once a month.

In 2019/2020, within the Health Unit region, an estimated 28.8% (age standardized) of persons 19+ years of age met or exceeded the heavy drinking limit at least once a month. This was significantly higher when compared to Ontario at 17.7%.

Last updated: October 30, 2023

Data source: Canadian Community Health Survey, 2019/20 

Categories of Drinking Risk

With Canada's new Guidelines on Alcohol and Health released in 2023, formerly Low Risk Drinking Guidelines, highlighted below are the percentage estimates for moderate and high risk levels associated with weekly alcohol consumption.

Across 2015/16, 2017/18 and 2019/2020, in the Health Unit region, 17.0%, 14.0%, and 19.0% respectively, of the legal age persons (age-standardized) reported having 3-6 drinks a week which corresponds to moderate risk with regards to alcohol harms. The 2019/2020 Health Unit region percentage was not statistically different when compared to the Ontario estimate of 14.9%.

High risk alcohol consumption in the Health Unit region for 2015/16, 2017/18, and 2019/2020 was identified as 17.0%, 21.0%, and 20.7% respectively, of legal aged persons (age-standardized) reported having seven or more drinks per week. The 2019/2020 percent estimate was not statistically different when compared to Ontario at 14.8%.

Last updated: October 30, 2023

Visit the PHO Snapshots Alcohol Use page for more detail.

Please see the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction’s report entitled Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health: Final Report for more information.

Emergency Department Visits Attributable to Alcohol

In 2021, within the Health Unit region, there were approximately 805 emergency department visits per 100,000 individuals (age-standardized) where the only reason for the visit was alcohol related. This was significantly higher than the provincial rate of 543 visits per 100,000 individuals (age-standardized).

Last updated: October 30, 2023

Visit the PHO Snapshots Alcohol Harms page for more detail.

Hospitalizations Attributable to Alcohol

In 2021, within the Health Unit region, there were approximately 352 hospitalizations per 100,000 individuals (age-standardized) where the only reason for being hospitalized was alcohol related. This was significantly higher than the provincial rate of 211 hospitalizations per 100,000 individuals (age-standardized).

Last updated: October 30, 2023

Visit the PHO Snapshots Alcohol Harms page for more detail.

Cannabis

Community Cannabis Survey

In the fall of 2018, the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit (NBPSDHU) surveyed residents of Nipissing and Parry Sound districts, aged 16 and older, to learn about their recreational cannabis use, attitudes towards cannabis, and knowledge of harm reduction messages related to cannabis.

View the 8 Key Findings from the 2018 Community Cannabis Survey

Emergency Department (ED) visits and hospitalizations for all cannabis-related harms

• In 2021, the age-standardized rate of ED visits for all cannabis-related harms in the Health Unit region was statistically significantly higher compared to the Ontario rate (240.1 versus 121.9 visits per 100,000 population, respectively). The rate among 26 to 44 years old in the Health Unit region was almost 2.25 times the rate in Ontario for the same age group.
• In 2021, the age-standardized rate of hospitalization for all cannabis-related harms in the Health Unit region was statistically significantly higher compared to the Ontario rate (106.9 versus 53.8 hospitalizations per 100,000 population, respectively). The rates among 13 to 18 years old, as well as 26 to 44 years old in the Health Unit region were both more than double the rates in Ontario for the same age groups.

Last updated: July 5, 2023

Visit the PHO Snapshots Cannabis Harms page for more detail.

Use by students

Cannabis Use Among Students in the Grades 7 to 12 in the NBPSDHU Region talks about student use of cannabis by gender and grade. Details include frequency of use, attitudes about cannabis use, and driving after using cannabis.

Read more in our report Cannabis Use Among Students in Grades 7 to 12 in the NBPSDHU Region: 2014 School Year (November 2017).

View the Executive summary / Sommaire

Cigarettes and Other Tobacco

• Smoking data from 2015-2020 was analyzed from the Canadian Community Health Survey.
• From 2017/18 to 2019/20, the number of daily and occasional smokers in the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit (Health Unit) region has decreased (Table 1).
• Specifically, in 2015/16 and 2017/18, about 2 of every 9 of the age-standardized adult population aged 18 years or older in the Health Unit region was a daily or occasional cigarette smoker. This changed to 1 in 6 for 2019/20.

Table 1. Age-Standardized Percentage (95% CI) of Individuals Aged 18 Years or Older Who Smoke Cigarettes Daily or Occasionally, by Region, 2015 – 2020 

*Estimate is significantly different from the provincial estimate
‡Estimate is significantly different from 2019/2020 in the same region
^EEstimate has a high sampling variability and should be interpreted with caution

Last updated: November 1, 2024.

Visit the PHO Snapshots Self-Reported Smoking page for more detail.

Daily Use

On average, an adult daily or occasional smoker in the Health Unit region smoked approximately 15 cigarettes a day in 2019/20, significantly higher compared to the provincial average (Table 2).

Table 2. Age-Standardized Average (95% CI) Number of Cigarettes Smoked Daily by Individuals Aged 18 Years or Older Who Smoke Cigarettes Daily or Occasionally, by Region, 2015 – 2020

*Estimate is significantly different from the provincial estimate

Smoking by age group

• Data from 2015-2018 was combined to analyze daily or occasional smokers by age group and compared to 2019/2020. About a third of the age-standardized  population aged 25-44 years smoked daily or occasionally in the Health Unit Region and other Northern Regions, which were both significantly higher compared to about one in five of the population aged 25-44 years in Ontario (Table 3).
• In 2019/2020 the largest proportion of daily or occasional smokers was in the 44-64 age group for both the Health Unit Region and other Northern Regions, approximately 1 in 5 and 1 in 4, respectfully (Table 3).

Table 3. Age-Standardized Percentage (95% CI) of Individuals Aged 18 Years or Older Who Smoke Cigarettes Daily or Occasionally, by Age Group (Time Period) & Region, 2015-2018 Combined and 2019/20

*Estimate is significantly different from the provincial estimate
^EInterpret with caution; the estimate is associated with high sampling variability
U Data does not meet Statistics Canada’s quality standards for this statistical program. Conclusions based on this data will be unreliable and most likely invalid.

Cigarette and tobacco use by students

In the 2022/2023 school year, the Health Unit was involved in an oversample of the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS) conducted by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). This oversample included 14 elementary schools (361 students across grades 7 and 8) and six secondary schools (374 students in grades 9-12) in the Health Unit district.

Figure 1

15 per cent of students grade 7-12 within the Health Unit district have tried smoking in their lifetime, this was similar to other Northern Health Units (North), and significantly higher than Ontario (9 per cent).

Figure 1: A graph comparing percentage of students in the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit region (HU), in northern Ontario (North), and all of Ontario (ON), who reported trying smoking cigarette (any type) at least once in their lifetime.

Figure 2

18.9 per cent of female (sex assigned at birth) students grades 7-12 have tried smoking. This was not statistically different from male students (sex assigned at birth) in the same grades, 11.4 per cent.

Figure 2: Percentage of students by sex assigned at birth within the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit region who have ever smoked tobacco.

Figure 3

5 per cent of students who smoked more than a few puffs 12 months prior to the OSDUHS survey have also used an e-cigarette, this was significantly higher than Ontario (2.4 per cent).

Figure 3: Percentage of students in the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit region (HU), and Ontario (ON), who smoked tobacco and used a vaping device. Note: substance usage doesn't necessarily indicate simultaneous use. 

Illicit drugs

Illicit drug use in adults

• Between 2009 and 2012, 51.7% of the adult population in the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit region reported using an illegal drug in their lifetime, significantly higher compared to the Ontario age-standardized percentage (40.6%). In other words, about 11% more of the population in the Health Unit region tried an illegal drug.
• Lifetime cannabis use is significantly higher within the Health Unit region (51.4%) compared to Ontario (40.1%). Use of any illicit drug or cannabis during the lifetime is significantly higher among both males and females, 20 to 44 year olds, as well as 45 to 64 year olds in the Health Unit region compared to Ontario.

Visit the PHO Snapshots Cannabis Harms page for more detail.

Illicit drug use among expectant mothers

Visit our Reproductive and Child Health page for information on maternal health.

Illicit drug use by students

• The proportion of students in the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit region who reported illegal substance use in their lifetime in 2014/15 (26.5%) is comparable to other northern regions (23.7%) and Ontario (22.8%).
• Males and females reported using illegal substances in comparable proportions, however, a significantly higher proportion of female students in the Health Unit region reported using illegal substances compared to all female students in Ontario.
• Significantly more students in grades 11 to 12 in the Health Unit region reported illegal substance use compared to students in grades 7 to 8.
• The percentage of self-identified Aboriginal students who reported illegal substance use did not differ from non-Aboriginal students in the Health Unit region or Ontario. The percentage of students who reported illegal substance use did not differ by perceived socioeconomic status in any of the three regions.

Read more in our report Other Substance Use Among Students in Grades 7 to 12 in the NBPSDHU Region: 2014/15 School Year (December 2017). This report summarizes non-medical use of prescription drugs and use of illegal drugs. Drug use is presented for the previous year and their lifetime, as well as by drug.

Opioids

2018 Report: Morbidity and Mortality (Death)

This report summarizes opioid-related emergency department visits & deaths in the Health Unit region, and makes comparisons to Ontario rates in the overall population and by sex and age group.

Highlights:

 New Data: E-cigarettes and Vape Use

Across Canada in 2022, it was found that Canadians aged 15 to 19 (30%) were twice as likely to have tried vaping compared to those aged 25 and older (Statistics Canada).

• In Ontario, approximately 25% of students, grades 7 through 12, have tried a vaping device in their lifetime. Within our Health Unit region, a significantly higher proportion of students have tried vaping (36%) (Figure 1).

• The percentage of students in the Health Unit region who reported to have never initiated using a vaping device (64%) was significantly lower compared to Ontario (75%) (Figure 2).
• When students were asked when they first started vaping, grade 9 was reported as the highest percentage (10%) that started using vaping devices (Figure 2).
• In the 12 months prior to the survey, 20% of students said they had used a vaping device, this was similar to other Northern Health Units and Ontario (Figure 3).

Figure 1

Figure 1: A graph comparing the percentage of students in the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit region, in northern Ontario, and all of Ontario, who reported trying an electronic cigarette (any type) at least once in their lifetime.

 Figure 2

Figure 2: A graph indicating which grades students reported being in when they first used a vaping device. The graph compares responses of students in the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit region, northern Ontario and all of Ontario.

 

Figure 3

Figure 3: A graph comparing the number of students in the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit region, in northern Ontario, and in all of Ontario, who reported having used an electronic cigarette (any type) in the 12 months prior to answering the questionnaire (excludes smoking a few puffs) 

 

Notes

ON: All Ontario students who participated in OSDUHS  

North: Students who participated in OSDUHS from Northern Ontario regions, excluding the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit (Health Unit) region  

HU: Students in the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit region 

Source: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS) 2023 [datafile]. Toronto, ON: CAMH;[Data accessed: 2024 June 5]. 

View the full substance use report for Ontario, prepared by CAMH.

Alcohol Use by Students

The proportion of students in the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit region who reported alcohol use in the past year (55.4%) is significantly higher than Ontario students who reported alcohol use (45.8%), but similar to students in other northern regions that reported alcohol use (51.5%). The percentage of students that reported alcohol use in 2014/15 is similar to 2010/11 in the Health Unit region and other northern regions, but lower in Ontario.

Read more in our report Alcohol Use Among Students in Grades 7 to 12 in the NBPSDHU Region: 2014/15 School Year (November 2017). Topics include alcohol use during the past year, drunkenness or bingeing in the past month, usual source of alcohol, and drinking and driving.

Cannabis Use by Students

Cannabis Use Among Students in the Grades 7 to 12 in the NBPSDHU Region talks about student use of cannabis by gender and grade. Details include frequency of use, attitudes about cannabis use, and driving after using cannabis.

Read more in our report Cannabis Use Among Students in Grades 7 to 12 in the NBPSDHU Region: 2014 School Year (November 2017).

 Cigarette and Tobacco Use by Students

• The proportion of students in the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit region who reported using tobacco cigarettes (excluding a few puffs) in the previous 12 months during the 2014/15 school year (12.6%) is similar to the proportion of students in other northern regions (11.7%) and Ontario (8.6%) that reported smoking in the previous year.
• In 2014/15, 4.8% students in the Health Unit region smoked one whole tobacco cigarette for the very first time in the past year, similar to the percentages for students in other northern regions (8.0%) and Ontario (6.3%).
• About one in three students (28.7%) in the Health Unit region reported smoking tobacco cigarettes in their lives, similar to the percentage for students in other northern regions (24.4%) but significantly higher compared to Ontario students (19.1%).
• A significantly higher percentage of Aboriginal students in other northern regions and Ontario reported lifetime tobacco cigarette use, as compared to non-Aboriginal students. Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students in the NBPSDHU region reported similar lifetime use of tobacco cigarettes.

Read more in our report Cigarette & Tobacco Use Among Students in Grades 7 to 12 in the NBPSDHU Region: 2014/15 School Year (December 2017). This report presents on all tobacco use including cigarettes, chewing tobacco, water pipe/hookah, & e-cigarettes. Other topics include exposure to second-hand smoke, quit attempts, and sources for cigarettes.

Illegal Substance Use by Students

• The proportion of students in the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit region who reported illegal substance use in their lifetime in 2014/15 (26.5%) is comparable to other northern regions (23.7%) and Ontario (22.8%).
• Males and females reported using illegal substances in comparable proportions, however, a significantly higher proportion of female students in the Health Unit region reported using illegal substances compared to all female students in Ontario.
• Significantly more students in grades 11 to 12 in the Health Unit region reported illegal substance use compared to students in grades 7 to 8.
• The percentage of self-identified Aboriginal students who reported illegal substance use did not differ from non-Aboriginal students in the Health Unit region or Ontario. The percentage of students who reported illegal substance use did not differ by perceived socioeconomic status in any of the three regions.

Read more in our report Other Substance Use Among Students in Grades 7 to 12 in the NBPSDHU Region: 2014/15 School Year (December 2017). This report summarizes non-medical use of prescription drugs and use of illegal drugs. Drug use is presented for the previous year and their lifetime, as well as by drug.

Other Reports

• Substance use among students in grades 7 to 12 in the NPBSDHU region, 2014/15: Executive Summary
• (Consommation de substances parmi les élèves de la 7e à la 12e année de la région desservie par le BSDNBPS, 2014-2015)
• Effective and Comprehensive Approaches to Substance Misuse Prevention among Youth

A literature review and environmental scan were conducted to highlight promising practices for what should be included in successful substance misuse prevention approaches targeted at youth in grades 7-12 in schools and in the broader community.