Educator's Guide - Activity 3

What Do You Know About Adolescent Drug Use in Canada?

Students should answer each of the following statements with True or False:

1. According to a 2008 study, fewer adolescents in British Columbia smoked cigarettes in 2008 than in 1998.
2. According to a 2007 Atlantic provinces study, 53% of students admitted to heavy episodic drinking within 30 days prior to the survey.
3. According to a 2004 study by the Sports Medicine Council of Manitoba, popular caffeine-containing energy drinks cause dehydration, which can lead to a performance loss of up to 20% in users.
4. According to a 2011 CCSA (Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse) study, the organic nature of marijuana makes it healthier to smoke than most cigarettes.
5. According to a 2007 Atlantic provinces study, fewer than 30% of underage drinkers obtained their alcohol from a friend.
6. According to a 2008 study, more adolescents in British Columbia used ecstasy, steroids, and prescription drugs in 2008 than in 1998.
7. According to a 2009 study, 25% of adolescents in Ontario engaged in binge drinking that year.
8. According to a 2008 study, fewer adolescents in British Columbia tried marijuana in 2008 than in 1998.
9. According to a 2007 Atlantic provinces study, almost 30% of students in junior and senior high had tried marijuana at least once in the year immediately preceding the survey.
10. According to a 2008 study, fewer adolescents in British Columbia tried amphetamines and cocaine in 2008 than in 1998.
11. According to a 2007 Atlantic provinces study, 50% of students in grades 7, 9, 10 and 12 said they had driven with a person under the influence of marijuana at least once in the previous year.
12. In a 2009 study (Solomon, Organ, Abdoullaeva, Gwyer & Chiodo), 10% of youth aged 15-24 reported they had been harmed by their own drinking, either physically, financially, or socially.
13. According to a 2007 Atlantic provinces study, more than 10 % of students in grades 9, 10 and 12 were found to be at the “high risk” end of the continuum of drug-related harms and risky contexts of use.

Activity 3: Answer Key

1. According to a 2008 study, adolescence in British Columbia smoked cigarettes less in 2008 then did in 1998. True
   
   According to a recent (2008) study, fewer adolescents (n=29,000) in British Columbia, 26% of students surveyed said they had tried smoking cigarettes compared to 56% in 1998.
2. According to a 2007 Atlantic province study, 53% of students admitted to heavy episodic drinking within 30 days of the survey. False
   
   In 2007, about 27% of adolescent students (n= 17545) in the Atlantic provinces engaged in heavy episodic drinking in the 30 days prior to the survey. The proportion of students who reported was essentially the same in all four provinces.
3. According to a 2004 study by the Sports Medicine Council of Manitoba, popular caffeine-containing energy drinks cause dehydration which can lead to as much as 20% performance loss in users. True
   
   Energy drinks such as Rockstar® and Monster® contain 350 milligrams of caffeine, equivalent to 10 cans of Coca-Cola. When taking this much caffeine while performing, dehydration can result, leading to a loss of performance potential. According to the Sports Medicine Council of Manitoba, “4% dehydration equals 20% of performance lost.”
4. According to a 2011 CCSA (Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse) study, the organic nature of marijuana makes it healthier to smoke than most cigarettes.False
   
   Recent research (CCSA 2011) has demonstrated that cannabis smoke causes considerable damage to one’s lungs and airways and can lead to certain respiratory diseases, much like cigarettes. However, the effect of regular cannabis use on one’s health actually occurs faster than tobacco’s effects, meaning that if you begin to regularly smoke during your teenage years you could have respiratory problems by your 20s or 30s (CCSA, 2009).
5. According to a 2007 Atlantic province study, less than 30% of underage drinkers obtained their alcohol from a friend.False
   
   The 2007 survey of the Atlantic Provinces asked students how they had obtained alcohol at their most recent drinking occasion. Among students younger than 19 years of age, the most commonly reported were from a friend (55%), and from parents who offered alcohol (22%).
6. According to a 2008 study, adolescents in British Columbia used ecstasy, steroids and prescription drugs more in 2008 then did in 1998.True
   
   According to a recent (2008) study of adolescents in British Columbia, use of mushrooms, amphetamines and cocaine has decreased since 1998.  However, there were rises in the use of hallucinogens (including ecstasy), steroids, and prescription pills (taken without a doctor’s consent) between 2003 and 2008.
7. According to a 2009 study, 25% of adolescence in Ontario in 2009 had engaged in binge drinking.True
   
   According to a recent (2009) study of adolescents (n= 9,112) in Ontario, ~ 25% had used marijuana and ~25% had engaged in binge drinking.
8. According to a 2008 study, fewer adolescence in British Columbia tried marijuana in 2008 then did in 1998.True
   
   According to a recent (2008) study of adolescents in British Columbia, 30% had tried marijuana compared to 40% in 1998. Those that had tried marijuana were three times more likely to skip school.
9. According to a 2007 Atlantic province study, almost 30% of students in junior and senior high had tried marijuana at least once in the year immediately preceding the survey.True
   
   In a 2007 survey of the Atlantic provinces, approximately 29% of junior and senior high school students reported having used cannabis at least once during the year.
10. According to a 2008 study, fewer adolescence in British Columbia tried amphetamines and cocaine in 2008 then did in 1998.True
    
    According to a recent (2008) study of adolescents in British Columbia, use of mushrooms, amphetamines, & cocaine has decreased since 1998.
11. According to a 2007 Atlantic Province study, 50% of students in grades 7, 9, 10 and 12 said that they had driven with a person under the influence of marijuana at least once in the previous year.False
    
    In 2007 survey in the Atlantic Provinces, approximately 23% of students in grades 7, 9, 10 and 12 reported that, on at least one occasion in the previous 12 months, they had been a passenger in a vehicle driven by a person who had used cannabis.
12. In a 2009 study (Solomon, Organ, Abdoullaeva, Gwyer & Chiodo), 10% of youth aged 15-24 reported that they were harmed by their own drinking, either physically, financially, or socially.False
    
    21.8% of youth aged 15-24 report that they had been harmed by their own drinking, either physically, financially, or socially. This figure was greater than 13% higher than in any other age group, which can be linked to the fact that youth often do not drink in moderation (Solomon, Organ, Abdoullaeva, Gwyer & Chiodo -MADD Canada, 2009).
13. According to a 2007 Atlantic province study, over 15 % of students in grades 9, 10 and 12 were found to be at the “high risk” end of the range of drug related harms and risky contexts of use. True
    
    Overall in the Atlantic provinces (according to the 2007 survey), 6% of the grade 7 students and 19% of students in grades 9, 10 and 12 were found to be at the High Risk end of the continuum of alcohol-related harms and risky contexts of use.
    
    Problem indicators (and percentages of students who reported these) were: motor vehicle collision after drinking (0.7%); school work affected by drinking (2%); trouble with the police (3%); consuming alcohol before or instead of breakfast (5%); driving within one hour of alcohol use (5%); spending on alcohol prevented buying other things (6%); using a fake ID or lying about one’s age to get alcohol (7%); tensions with family or friends (8%); having damaged things (10%) and/or having injured oneself (10%) as a result of alcohol use; drinking in a licensed venue (14%); and riding with a drunk driver (19%).

Useful References to Support the Above Survey

Balram, B. (2007). New Brunswick student drug use survey: Highlights 2007. Fredericton, NB: Department of Health. Retrieved August 2012

CCSA (2011). Young, Matthew M., and Student Drug Use Surveys (SDUS) Working Group (2011). Cross-Canada report on student alcohol and drug use. Retrieved August 2012

Paddock,R. (2008). Energy drinks’ effects on student-athletes and implications for athletic departments. Retrieved August 2012

Paglia-Boak, A., Mann, R., Adlaf, E., & Rehm, J. (2009). Drug use among Ontario students, 1977-2009: Detailed OSDUHS findings. (CAMH Research Document Series No. 27). Toronto, ON: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Retrieved August 2012

Poulin, C. & Elliott, D. (2007). Student drug use survey in the Atlantic provinces: Atlantic technical report. Halifax, NS: Dalhousie University/Community Health Nova Scotia. Retrieved August 2012

Poulin C. & Ryan, R. (2007). Newfoundland & Labrador student drug use 2007: Summary report. Halifax, NS: Dalhousie University/Community Health Nova Scotia. Retrieved August 2012

Smith, A., Stewart D., Peled, M., Poon, C., Saewyc, E. and the McCreary Centre Society (2009). A picture of health: Highlights from the 2008 BC adolescent health survey. Vancouver, BC: McCreary Centre Society. Retrieved August 2012

Solomon, R., J. Organ, M. Abdoullaeva, L. Gwyer, and S. Chiodo (2009). Alcohol, trauma, and impaired driving. MADD Canada, Retrieved August 2012