The Prevalance of Substance Abuse in Canadian Youth

I recently did some research on youth substance abuse and youth crime. The statistics are overwhelming. It's incredibly easy to ignore what is going on around you, until it somehow affects your life. My research was prompted, by what appears to be a staggering increase in crime in Alberta and specifically, Edmonton.

The big question in everyone's mind, is what is the cause, and what is the solution to this problem?

It is time for society to start being proactive, rather than trying to determine what the most effective way to punish offenders is.

* In 2002, 15.8% of suicides in Alberta were related to the use of alcohol or other drugs
* From 2002-2005, the percentage of Albertans who were classified as alcohol dependent rose from 2.6% to 3.5%
* In 2004, about $30 million of marijuana was seized from grow ops in the Edmonton region.
* In 2002, 684 homicide incidents in Canada were reported to be drug related. Cocaine was involved in 60% of these drug related homicides.
* Most users of cannabis, hallucinogens and speed began use at between 15 and 19 years of age; users of cocaine and ecstasy tended to have begun use in their twenties.

The final statistic is the one that tends to worry me the most. Often times someone who is 15 is still in junior high school. Drug use is becoming common place in our nation's junior high schools. What a tragedy.

Drug education needs to occur well before children are faced with a decision of whether or not to partake in drug use. Education needs to happen in the home and in schools. The trouble is that there is an out-dated concept that says talking to young children about drugs is taboo. Completely untrue! If we want drug education to be effective, it needs to be taught, in an age appropriate manner, as young as kindergarten.

Punishment does not seem to act as a deterrent any more. Drug use and crime continue to grow. There's a saying that says, "as long as you continue with the same actions, you will continue receiving the same results." It's time to change our actions. It's time to curb a rising problem.

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