VANCOUVER -- Marijuana and alcohol were the most common substances leading to hospitalization of youth aged 10 to 24 across the country, says a report that highlights the prevalence of mental-health conditions as contributing factors.
About 23,500 people in that age group were hospitalized for harm caused by substance use, amounting to an average of 65 hospitalizations every day between April 2017 and March 2018, says the Canadian Institute for Health Information in a report released Thursday.
Overall, cannabis was documented [highest] almost 40 per cent of hospitalizations…For youth who stayed in hospital for cannabis use, 81 per cent received care for a mental-health issue such as anxiety
Harvey, director of the institute's population and health initiative, said the data show only the "the tip of the iceberg" because they don't include care in emergency rooms, family doctors' offices, addiction centres…
The report is also based on data collected before cannabis was legalized last October, suggesting the information is a baseline for further research involving youth drug use, Harvey said. "We need to be protecting kids, we need to be educating kids that just because it is legal doesn't mean it's safe," she said. "I think it can be a bit of a wake-up call for parents and those who are working with youth."
Well – Surprise, Surprise! Which drugs are doing the greatest harms? The legal or social permitted ONES! Adding Cannabis to the list of PERMITTED community harming substances is supposed to make our lives less ‘criminal’ and more 'healthy'... After all we are repeatedly told… ‘it's a HEALTH ISSUE!’
Like Australia, Canada has 'free' health care! So, now the NON-drug using, and clearly healthier citizens are paying for the now government sanctioned self-harm of the drug user! And remember, this is all supposed to be 'progress'!?!?
As we have said and will continue to say, ‘You may not be able to arrest your way out of cannabis use, but you can be rest assured you will not ‘treat’ your way out of it either!”
We need real solutions, not self-indulging social passes for the recalcitrant hedonist. Demand Reduction and drug use exiting Recovery that enlists education, legislation and the judicial educator, not for punitive exercises, rather the facilitated remediation processes that change both attitude and behaviour. Enough of the costly and useless ‘manage the damage’ models for bad choices – Choices that cost everyone else, emotionally, familial and financially.
For real change we must do, as we have done with the anti-Tobacco campaign; We need One Focus, One Message and One Voice in the marketplace – QUIT. (Dalgarno Institute