Most substance abusers out West, study finds

(CBC) - If Ontario and Quebec spring to mind at the mere mention of drug and alcohol abuse, think again. A new study finds the western provinces have a high number of substance abuse problems.

The study finds that the prevalence of substance abuse in Canada is about 11 per cent. Ontario, Quebec and Prince Edward Island have the lowest rates of abuse of alcohol and illicit drugs, with a prevalence rate lower than the national average, while B.C, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta have prevalence rates that are above average.

The report, Geographical Variation in the Prevalence of Problematic Substance Abuse in Canada, is authored by researchers at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). It is published in the July issue of the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry.

In Canada, the prevalence of substance abuse is higher in mid-size cities than in rural or larger cities, the research finds.

The researchers have a number of explanations for their findings. "Major cities include large numbers of immigrants, among whom drug and alcohol problems are less common. People who decide to come to Canada, and are accepted, tend to be healthy and high-functioning, and some immigrant cultures also reject alcohol and drug use," said Scott Veldhuizen, research analyst at CAMH, in a release.

Other possible factors discussed include migration within Canada, differences in the availability of alcohol or illicit drugs, the accessibility of treatment, the local culture, and local policies, say the study's authors.

The study reports that about 80 per cent of Canadians aged 15 and over have had alcohol in the past year and 13 to 15 per cent have used illegal drugs.

Nine per cent of these drinkers and 18 per cent of the drug users reported experiencing harmful side-effects, such as health problems, relationship issues, as well as financial, employment and legal problems.

Younger men are the most likely to be substance abusers, as well as those individuals who are single, have low income or low education, according to the study. Alcohol dependence, for example, is estimated at 8.6 per cent among those aged 20 to 24, versus two per cent for those 35 and older.

Of the households initially contacted for the study, 77 per cent responded, for a total sample size of 36,984 households.