Despite the harmful consequences of substance use that can lead to mental and physical distress, vulnerable youth are still engaging in unsafe behaviors involving drugs and alcohol.
Sources:
Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction: Alcohol, 2017; http://www.ccdus.ca/Resource%20Library/CCSA-Canadian-Drug-Summary-Alcohol-2017-en.pdf
Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction: Cannabis, 2018;http://www.ccdus.ca/Resource%20Library/CCSA-Canadian-Drug-Summary-Cannabis-2018-en.pdf
RiskAnalytica, Prepared for the Mental Health Commission of Canada: The Life and Economic Impact of Major Mental Illnesses in Canada, 2011;https://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/sites/default/files/MHCC_Report_Base_Case_FINAL_ENG_0_0.pdf
An Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences / Public Health Ontario: Opening Eyes, Opening Minds: The Ontario Burden of Mental Illness and Addictions, 2012; https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/documents/opening-eyes.pdf?la=en
Canadian Medical Association: 8th annual National Report Card on Health Care, 2008; https://www.cma.ca/multimedia/CMA/Content_Images/Inside_cma/Annual_Meeting/2008/GC_Bulletin/National_Report_Card_EN.pdf.
Health Officer’s Council of British Columbia: http://healthofficerscouncil.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/psychoactive-substances-paper-to-leaders-feb-28-2013.pdf
Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse: The Effects of Cannabis Use during Adolescence, 2015, http://www.ccsa.ca/Resource%20Library/CCSA-Effects-of-Cannabis-Use-during-Adolescence-Report-2015-en.pdf