Canadian Street Youth and Substance Use

Executive Summary Key Findings Introduction Purpose Methods Analysis Analysis Terms Laboratory Methods Limitations Demographic Profile of E-SYS Participants Substance Use Smoking Alcohol Use Recent Alcohol Intoxication General Drug Use Patterns Non-Injection Drug Use Injection Drug Use Injection Drug Use and Hepatitis C Sexual Behaviours and STIs Implications Conclusions References

Findings from Enhanced Surveillance
of Canadian Street Youth, 1999-2003
(November 2007)

4. Substance use

4.5 Non-Injection Drug Use

E-SYS revealed that the exclusive use of drugs by non-injection means (e.g. crack, cocaine, ecstasy or crystal meth but excluding alcohol and tobacco) has remained consistently high over the duration of the study (more than 70% in 2003) (Figure 7). The most commonly used drug in the previous 3 months by street youth who reported using drugs by routes other than injection was marijuana (Figure 8). Males were more likely to report marijuana use.

Figure 7. Exclusive use of drugs by non-injection among street youth

Figure 8. Most commonly used non-injection drugs in the previous 3 months among street youth who reported using non-injection drugs (2001 and 2003)*

*Youth were allowed to report more than one drug; percentages therefore exceed 100%. They could also use any number of names for drugs (including street names).

Figure 9 provides information on non-injection drug use patterns in street youth in 1999 and 2001. Overall, approximately 22% of non-injection drug users reported that they had quit using drugs in the 3 months prior to the interview. Half of those who quit reported doing so using drug treatment services.

Figure 9. Non-injection drug use behaviour in the previous 3 months among street youth (1999 and 2001)*

*Question not asked in 2003.

Risk factors associated^§ with an elevated likelihood of reporting drug use by means other than injection include ever having a social worker; ever living in a group or foster home; being expelled from school; and ever being in a jail or detention centre. Street youth who had contact with either parent in the 3 months prior to the study were less likely to report non-injection drug use than those with no parental contact. Experiencing abuse was not significantly^§ associated with non-injection drug use; neither was the mother’s or father’s own injection drug use. There also seems to be a relationship between the length of time spent on the street and the types of drugs used.