Illicit drug use among Canadian University undergraduates.
The purpose of this study was to examine rates and patterns of illicit drug use among Canadian university undergraduates, to compare these rates with those for non-university samples, and to describe drug-use trends among university undergaduates in the province of Ontario between 1988 and 1998. A national mail survey was carried out based on stratified 2-stage sample design. The sample comprised 7,800 Canadian undergraduates from 16 universities (52% of  eligible respondents). Approximately 47.5% reported use of illicit drug  durning their life, 29.6% in the previous 12 months, and  18.7% since the beginning of the academic year. Cannabis was by far the most widley used drug  (47.0%, 28.7%, and18.2%, respectively). Many of  the gender and regional associations were similar to those found in general-populations surveys. Comparisons to non-university peers did not indicate elevated rates among university students. Among Ontario university undergraduates the use of cannabis, hallucinogens, methamphetamines, crack, and herion remained stable between 1988 and 1998. The use of cocaine declined from 4.8% to 1.7%. Rates of illicit drug use were not appreciably higher than those among their non-university peers. Other public-health issues, such as heavy drinking and poor mental health, override those related to illicit drug use.
Adlaf
Edward M
EM
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2S1, Canada. edward_adlaf@camh.net
Gliksman
Louis
L
Demers
Andrée
A
Newton-Taylor
Brenda
B
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities