Nova Scotia Student Drug Use Survey 2007

Methods Anonymous confidential self-reported survey Approved by Ethics Review Board Students in grades 7, 9, 10 & 12 Average age of respondents 15.1 years Total sample in NS NB NL PE = 17,545 Sample in NS = 4,486

Past year substance use 2007 In 2007, 42% of students reported that during the 12 months before the survey they had not used any of the 13 substances asked about in the survey. 12.5% of students indicated they had used all of the three most common substances (alcohol, cannabis, cigarettes) during the course of a year.

Past year substance use Nova Scotia Grades 7, 9, 10 & 12 Prevalence (%)

Alcohol Alcohol continues to be the most commonly used drug by students in this province. 52% of students reported using alcohol in the year prior to the survey (comparable to other years) 28% of students consumes 5+ drinks at a sitting on at least one occasion in the month prior to the survey 14% of students with a driver’s license engaged in alcohol-driving on at least one occasion during the year.

Alcohol Past year use among NS students

Any alcohol use Past year Prevalence (%)

Five + drinks in one sitting Past month Prevalence (%)

Drove within 1 hour of drinking alcohol among licensed drivers, students in grades 10 & 12 Prevalence (%)

Alcohol Past year prevalence of alcohol-related problems among NS students

Cannabis Cannabis is the 2 nd most commonly used substance by adolescent students. There has been a decrease in use from 38% in 2002 to 32% in % of students drove after using cannabis on at least one occasion during the year.

Cannabis Past year use among NS students

Drove within 1 hour of using cannabis among licensed drivers, students in grades 10 & 12 Prevalence (%)

Drugs Past year prevalence of drug-related problems among NS students

Cigarette Smoking The most marked change from 2002 to 2007 was a decrease in the percentage of students who smoked cigarettes, down 23% to 16%. Cigarettes was the 3 rd most commonly used substance.

Cigarette smoking Past year smoking among NS students

MDMA (Ecstasy) There has been a small upward trend in the prevalence of Ecstasy use from 4.5% in 2002 to 7.0% in 2007.

MDMA (ecstasy) Past year use among NS students

Gambling In 2007, 60% of students in Nova Scotia gambled. –Rates of student participation for gambling activities measured in 2002 and 2007 are essentially the same. Most common gambling activity was scratch tabs Internet gambling was introduced in the 2007 survey –5% of students played for money –26% played for points or play money 3% of students engaged in at-risk gambling behaviour, 2% in problem gambling behaviour

Participation in gambling for money Past year

Past year Internet gambling for …

Problem gambling Past year

Mental Health Depressive Symptoms –6% of students scored as having “very elevated” symptoms (21% - “somewhat elevated”) –Females were about twice as likely to report elevated depressive symptoms than males 2007 rates for positive ADHD symptoms, and utilization of medication, are essentially the same as in 2002 More than twice as many males than females reported they were taking medical stimulants (30 days prior to survey)

Elevated depressive symptoms Past 7 days

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Past 6 months Prevalence (%)

Past month medical use of amphetamine or methylphenidate according to gender & ADHD screening test Prevalence (%)

Sexual Behaviours In 2007, 35% of students indicated that they had intercourse in the course of the year. Of those who had intercourse, 33% had unplanned sex after using drugs or alcohol. 61% of students who had ever had intercourse, indicated they used a condom at the time of their most recent sexual intercourse

Vaginal or anal sex Past year Grades 9, 10 & 12 Prevalence (%)

Unplanned sex after alcohol or drugs Among students who had sex in past year Grades 9, 10 & 12 Prevalence (%)

Used a condom or latex barrier at most recent sexual intercourse Among students in grades 9, 10 & 12 who ever had sex Prevalence (%)

Recommendations Findings from the 2007 Atlantic Student Drug Use survey should be communicated to key stakeholders throughout Atlantic Canada 2.Parents/caregivers, schools, communities, and government should continue to support students in making healthy, less harmful decisions about substance use and gambling. 3.Addiction Services in the respective District Health Authorities should continue to build upon intersectoral collaboration to enhance prevention activities

Recommendations 4.Addiction Services in the respective District Health Authorities should continue to build upon intersectoral collaboration to develop intervention and treatment strategies to assist students who are harmfully involved with substance use and/or gambling 5.Standardized Student Drug Use Survey should be repeated in the Atlantic Provinces every three years 6.Assess substance use and gambling related problems among at- risk/marginalized youth not represented in the Student Drug Use survey