RECENT FINDINGS FROM THE ONTARIO STUDENT DRUG-USE SURVEY

Background: Every 2 years, the Addiction Research Foundation of Ontari o, a division of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, sponsors the Ontario Student Drug Use Survey. The results of the surveys conduc ted in 1995 and 1997 are presented here and compared with results from the early 1990s. Methods: Questionnaires were completed by 3870 and 3 990 Ontario public school students enrolled in grades 7, 9, 11 and 13 in 1995 and 1997 respectively. The outcome measures were prevalence of use of 20 types of drugs and other substances, including alcohol, tob acco and prescription drugs, over the previous 12 months. Results: For several drugs the prevalence of use in the previous 12 months had inc reased from 1993 to 1995, but from 1995 to 1997 there was a significan t increase for only one type (hallucinogens such as mescaline and psil ocybin). The inhalation of glue declined, and the use of the other 18 types of drugs remained stable. Interpretation: Recent data suggest th at increases in adolescent student drug use reported earlier this deca de have not continued. However, the stability in rates of drug use is not a justification for complacency in this important area of public h ealth.