title: Adolescent use of prescription drugs to get high in Canada.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present epidemiologic information on adolescent use of prescription drugs to get high, and not for medical purposes, in Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were obtained from 44 344 adolescents in grades 7 to 12 living across Canada's 10 provinces who completed the Youth Smoking Survey in 2008/2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nationally, 5.9% of adolescents in grades 7 to 12 reported the use of prescription drugs to get high in the past 12 months in 2008/2009. Females were more likely to report use of pain relievers, sedatives, or tranquilizers to get high, while males were more likely to report the use of prescription stimulants for this purpose. The use of prescription drugs to get high was elevated among older youth, those living in British Columbia, and those who identified as First Nations, Métis, or Inuit. School connectedness was associated with a reduction in this form of prescription drug misuse for all adolescents; however, this protective effect was particularly strong for Aboriginal youth, and may be an important preventative factor for this population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of prescription drugs to get high was prevalent among adolescents in Canada in 2008/2009. Findings highlight the need for clinicians to include questions about prescription drugs when screening adolescents for substance abuse in Canada. Findings also highlight the need for evidence-informed strategies to reduce prescription drug misuse among Aboriginal youth living outside First Nations communities in Canada. The results of this study suggest school connectedness may be a particularly important target for these interventions.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta. cheryl.currie@uleth.ca
authors.forename: Cheryl L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Currie
authors.forename: T Cameron
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Wild
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D044467:American Indian or Alaska Native / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D008297:Male; D063487:Prescription Drug Misuse; D055553:Prescription Drugs; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D055553:Prescription Drugs