Contents:
In , NIJ and BJS sought to identify ways to improve cost-efficiency through survey techniques that enhance data quality and information utility. This study, to be conducted via a contract currently under solicitation, will develop a methodology to estimate drug-involvement and test the methodology using data from Uniform Crime Reports, the National Incident Based Reporting System, and other relevant data sources.
ONDCP is highlighting the issue of drugged driving and educating the public about the inherent dangers of driving after using drugs. This survey found that 1 in 8 weekend night time drivers tested positive for illicit drugs. In addition to the Roadside Survey, data are needed to better inform Federal and state policy makers about the extent of the problem and how best to respond to this often underestimated problem. For example, the Fatality Analysis Reporting System documents the circumstances of fatal traffic crashes, including whether alcohol or drugs were involved.
Unfortunately, however, many states do not routinely test drivers involved in these crashes for the presence of drugs. A recent study by NHTSA found that one-third of the drivers killed in traffic crashes, and who were tested for drugs and whose results were known, tested positive for drugs. Such detected presence is sufficient proof for violation of the law; it is not required that a level of impairment be established, as with alcohol, since the substance being tested for is illegal or, in the case of medications, should not be taken prior to driving a motor vehicle.
Action Item 1. NHTSA is accelerating the schedule for the next National Roadside Survey to provide more timely data on the prevalence of drugged driving. This project will assist prosecutors to successfully bring drugged driving cases to court. Results from the research will assist law enforcement in determining whether drivers using marijuana are impaired. This effort will evaluate the inclusion of additional drug information to the NSS and will result in more robust statistical and analytical products for NSS customers. By engaging in this effort, DEA can assist in streamlining intelligence dissemination and provide its Federal, state and local partners with information that is crucial for their success.
Several of the Strategy goals focus on reducing the consequences of drug use, including drug-induced deaths, drug-related mortality, and drugged driving.
The study will examine long-term outcomes including successful completion of probation, absconding, rearrest, revocation, and incarceration outcomes. NIJ is also exploring the possibility of conducting a rigorous multi-site replication of HOPE to test the effectiveness of the program in other jurisdictions. The Decide Your Time program employs the principles of certain apprehension and swift response using graduated sanctions and incentives to reduce relapse, violations, and recidivism among drug-using offenders.
More and more, teens are spending their free time on the Internet where may be potentially exposed to a wide variety of messages that present drug use as normal. ONDCP is currently soliciting for a study to assess how drugs and drug use are depicted on social networking web-based sites. It is widely recognized that determinants of health are often at the root of problematic substance use.
Determinants of health are the broad range of personal, social, economic and environmental factors that influence individual and population health, and that can affect all Canadians. Included in the determinants of health are a specific group of social and economic factors, often referred to as social determinants of health.
These relate to an individual's place in society, such as income, education or employment. Experiences of racism, discrimination or historical trauma can also be important social determinants of health for certain groups, including Indigenous peoples and racialized communities in Canada. Addressing social determinants of health means sparking changes in systems which in turn, can support healthy behaviours and help to reduce the likelihood of problematic substance use among Canadians. Support for land-based programs is an example that aligns with the call to recognize the value of Aboriginal healing practices and using them in treatment of Aboriginal patients in collaboration with Aboriginal healers and Elders where requested by Aboriginal patients Call to Action Land-based programs common to Indigenous peoples can include a wide variety of formally organized activities that take place on the land.
They help to revitalize Indigenous cultures, languages, and traditions, and can also support healing, promote wellness, and help address the root causes of problematic substance use and other social issues. They may be taught and practiced within the context of trapping, fishing, and hunting, or they can be selectively organized such as a medicine walks or crafts workshops. They may include ceremonial activities or use of cultural medicines. We know that there are multiple personal and environmental risk factors Footnote 6 Footnote 7 in life that may lead someone to engage in problematic substance use.
Some examples include:. The Government of Canada is investing in key areas that will have positive impacts on social determinants of health, including:. One approach to substance use prevention is to strengthen protective factors , Footnote 8 Footnote 9 which help to reduce the risk of problematic substance use. Addressing risk and protective factors for problematic substance use requires that all sectors of society work together.
Successful efforts to address these root causes of problematic substance use have been shown to be effective in reducing future health-care and crime-related costs. Footnote 10 Footnote The Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth program is an internationally recognized, evidence based skill-building program for families with teens 12 to 16 years old.
The program helps parents and teens to develop protective factors such as trust, mutual respect, communication and resiliency. The Housing First Approach involves quickly moving people experiencing homelessness into independent and permanent housing, without first requiring them to stop using substances. Once housed, people are linked to the services they need to keep their housing and reintegrate into the community. Chronic pain is widely recognized as a serious health problem that affects approximately 1 in 5 Canadians. Health care professionals can look to a variety of interventions to treat pain, including opioid medications.
Opioids can be effective in managing pain for some Canadians, allowing them to lead full and productive lives; however, as with all medications, opioids have risks and potentially dangerous side effects. Opioids can also suppress breathing, leading to overdose and death, especially when taken at high doses or when combined with other substances, such as alcohol or anti-anxiety medication benzodiazepines.
Other treatments may also help individuals manage their pain, such as physical therapy, cognitive-behavioural therapy, meditation, and relaxation techniques; however, these therapies may not be offered everywhere, or they may be cost-prohibitive for some patients. At the same time, many chronic pain patients have described facing stigma from the medical community, and some patients have indicated that they are now having difficulty obtaining the medication that they need to manage their pain.
Ultimately, treatment decisions should be made between a health care practitioner and their patient.
The Government of Canada will continue to work with both prescribers and the chronic pain community to find a balanced approach that promotes appropriate opioid prescribing practices, informs Canadians about the benefits and risks associated with opioid use, and ensures that those who need opioid medications to manage their pain continue to have access to them. Stigma can be defined as the negative attitudes and actions directed toward a group of people due to their circumstances in life, including judging, labeling, stereotyping and exclusion.
We know that problematic substance use is a challenging, but treatable health condition.
However, for people who use substances, stigma can add a barrier to accessing health care, or other social services. Footnote 14 This can cause people who use substances to be reluctant to use the health care system. Stigma can also lead women who have children or who are pregnant to avoid interacting with health care or social programs, out of fear of losing custody.
Footnote From an employment perspective, stigma may prevent someone from telling their employer about past or current substance use, for fear of career repercussions. Further, some people may face stigma for multiple reasons e. This has a direct, detrimental impact on the health of people who use drugs. Reducing stigma is key to effectively addressing problematic substance use, and is a critical step in recognizing the fundamental rights and dignity of all Canadians, including those who use substances. People who use substances, the families of people struggling with substance use, and people in recovery provide a unique and valuable perspective that can help ensure a more compassionate and effective approach to substance use issues.
The language we use to talk about substance use has a direct and profound impact on people who use substances, the way others treat people who use substances, and the policy and program approaches taken to address problematic substance use.
The negative impacts of stigma can be reduced by changing the language we use when talking about substance use. Toward the Heart, a project of the BC Centre for Disease Control, has published resources to help change the conversation on drug use and encourage the use of respectful, non-stigmatizing language when describing substance use disorders and people who use drugs. The evidence is clear that problematic substance use is a health condition that can be managed and treated.
Footnote 17 Treatment ranges from services that address immediate distress to services that provide ongoing care for long-term conditions. The goal of treatment is different for everyone. It is important to recognize that there are many treatment paths, and recovery does not always mean abstinence. Sometimes, it may mean replacing toxic street drugs with medications prescribed by a health care practitioner. Recovery can also include improvements to other areas of life, such as stable housing, employment, mental health supports or improved relationships.
The health system needs to offer many treatment options to address the individual needs of people who use substances. This continuum includes: early identification of patient needs e. As part of a range of treatment services, medication such as methadone, buprenorphine-naloxone, or naltrexone can help stabilize and improve health, including helping to manage symptoms, reduce cravings, and prevent overdoses.
There are a number of medications available to treat opioid and alcohol use disorders; Footnote 19 however, effective medications are not available for all kinds of problematic substance use. Where appropriate, family members and caregivers may be well placed to contribute to more positive outcomes. Portage provides specialized drug rehabilitation through its Mother and Child Program , offered in its Montreal centre, which enables women to be with their children while pursuing treatment, and helps build and strengthen parenting skills.
These programs work to stabilize patients and prevent binge drinking, provide ongoing health assessments, shelter, counselling, and other supports.
Sources of error in substance use prevalence surveys. Family risk factors for adolescent drug misuse in Spain. A total of 30 questionnaires were filled out. In another study on male high school students in Faridan, their susceptibility to drug abuse was determined by addiction measurement questionnaire and related factors were evaluated by a research-made questionnaire. What is your idea about the role of each of the following factors in tendency toward illegal drug use?
Results from a pilot study of Kwae Kii Win include a decrease in: consumption of non-beverage alcohol, detoxification episodes, hospital admissions and police contacts leading to custody. When someone is ready, treatment needs to be available quickly. Unfortunately, only a small fraction of people in Canada who seek treatment for problematic substance use are able to access it when they need it.
Footnote 20 Part of the challenge is that treatment options are not always available when and where Canadians need them, partly driven by insufficient numbers of health professionals with the appropriate training in substance use issues.
Another factor is a deficit of coordination between health, social, and law enforcement services. These intersecting social systems can be difficult to navigate. There are a number of private treatment providers in Canada; however, they are not regulated and the quality of services that they provide often varies — putting people seeking care for problematic substance use at risk of poor outcomes due to the lack of minimum standards and consumer protections.
Cost considerations often also mean that private services are out of reach for many Canadians, particularly those most marginalized and at risk. Provincial and territorial governments maintain primary responsibility for providing treatment services to their residents, while the federal government primarily provides leadership, funding, and information to improve the health and safety of Canadians, as well as providing or funding direct health care services to specific populations. For example, the federal government works with First Nations and Inuit peoples to support access to culturally-appropriate mental wellness and substance use treatment services.
In Canada, all levels of government play a role in substance use treatment, and must coordinate and collaborate if care in Canada is going to improve.
DTCs provide integration of enforcement and treatment services to better meet the needs of clients. Harm reduction aims to reduce the negative health, social and economic impacts of substance use on individuals, their families and communities, without requiring abstinence.
Harm reduction programs in Canada are largely delivered by provinces, territories, municipalities, First Nations governments, and non-governmental harm reduction organizations.