Substance Use Retail Fact Sheets

Increased access to substances, increases consumption and related harms!

Research shows more availability of substances results in more substance use, which can lead to significant health and social harms.
Having substances available in more places can make substance use more socially acceptable, and therefore be perceived as less harmful to use.
When stores that sell substances are located close to schools and other places that serve children and youth, it normalizes the use of substances for this generation and increases the likelihood that children and youth will use them.

Fact Sheets

The Substance Use Retail Fact Sheets provide ongoing surveillance of substance retail outlets in the Health Unit region. They help to raise awareness and inform practices related to retail outlet density, clustering, and proximity to priority populations.