SOCI3055ASTUDIES IN ADDICTIONS

January 23, 2007

Part I –

Alcohol, drugs and other

forms of addiction

Overview Readings:

-- Schilder A., T. Lampinen, M. Miller, R. Hogg (2005). “Crystal methamphetamine and ecstasy differ in relation to unsafe sex among young gay men”. Canadian Journal of Public Health.96(5). pp. 340-343.-- The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse atColumbia University (2006).“Pathways to Substance Abuse Among Women and Girls” in Women Under the Influence.Baltimore: The John Hopkins University Press. pp. 1-17.-- Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (2004). Canadian Addiction Survey (CAS). Highlights.Ottawa: Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse.

Class outline

1. January 16 class questions2. Chad Dubeau, CCSA Information Specialist3. Dorothy Proctor, Reflections on understanding

addiction 4. The epidemiology of alcohol and drugs5. Tara Lyons, Talking about ecstasy6. Discussion questions – “FIX: The Story of an

Addicted City”

January 16 class questions

Understanding addiction

The drugs

Detoxification

The behaviours

Epidemilology of alcohol and drugs

Canadian Addiction Survey Prevalence of Use and Related Harms: Detailed Report Prevalence of Use and Related Harms: Highlights Topic specific reports (e.g., women, public opinion, youth)

http://www.ccsa.ca/NR/rdonlyres/6806130B-C314-4C96-95CC-075D14CD83DE/0/ccsa0040282005.pdf

Access to the microdata files

http://www.ccsa.ca/CCSA/EN/Research/Research_Activities/CanadianAddictionSurveyReleaseofMicrodataFiles.htm

Alcohol: 80% of Canadians drank alcohol in the past

year, 14% were former drinkers, and 7% were lifetime abstainers

Of past-year drinkers, 6% reported heavy drinking once a week, and 25% once a month

Cannabis: 45% of Canadians reported using cannabis at least

once in their lifetime, and 14% reported using in the 12 months before the survey.

70% of Canadians between 18 and 24 reported using cannabis at least once in their lifetime

5% of Canadians reported a cannabis related concern

Other Drugs: 11% of Canadians reported using

hallucinogens at some point in their lifetime, 10% cocaine, 6% speed, and 4% ecstasy.

Inhalants, heroin and steroids were all reported by all less than 1% of Canadians.

Change over time in consumption:

ALCOHOL (current drinkers)1989 78% 2004 79%

CANNABIS (used in lifetime) 1989 23% 2004 45%

Crystal methamphetamine

“The link between crystal and unsafe sex should be a high priority of providers of health care and related services to MSM” (Schilder 2005:342).

Women, girls and substance use

“There is no single point in a woman’s life when a discussion of substance use or abuse is not relevant. Each stage of life offers unique challenges that can lead to addiction” (The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (2006).

Women, Girls and Substance Usehttp://www.ccsa.ca/NR/rdonlyres/628CF348-1B92-45D5-A84F-303D1B799C8F/0/ccsa0111422005.pdf

What the data tells us…

ALCOHOL Women and girls consume less alcohol and

drink less frequently than men. Patterns show a greater increase in past year

use among women than men.PAST-YEAR USE

1994-95

NPHS

1998-99

NPHS

2004

CAS

Female 71.5% 74.0% 76.8%

Male 79.8% 82.2% 82.0%

8.9% of current female drinkers reported hazardous drinking in the past year.

7.1% of women reported at least one harm in the past year from their own drinking.

32.6% of women reported at least one harm in the past year from others’ drinking.

Drinking during pregnancy 14.2% of children under 2 whose mothers were under 25 were exposed to some prenatal alcohol compared to 21.6% of children whose mothers were aged 35 and older (1998-99 NLSCY).

DRUG USE 39% of females reported using cannabis at some point in

their lifetime. 10% of females reported using cannabis in the past year. Women’s use of other drugs in their lifetime:

Hallucinogens (7%), cocaine (7%), speed (4%), ecstasy (3%), inhalants (0.7%), IDU (0.6%), heroin (0.5%), steroids (--)

19.8% of women reported one or more harms from their drug use in their lifetime (not including cannabis) and 16.0% reported one or more harms due to their past-year use.

We need to consider….

Social attitudes about women and girls affect their substance use

Pathways to substance use are unique for girls and women

Health consequences of substance use differ for girls and women in comparison to males

Specific challenges faced by pregnant women and mothers who use substances

Trauma, violence and abuse are linked to substance use for girls and women

The 2004 United Nations report on Substance Abuse

Treatment and Care for Women concluded that:

“[e]ngaging and retaining pregnant and parenting women in treatment requires collaboration between the substance abuse treatment sectors or prenatal care and child welfare…Ideally, services should be accessed through a single site” (p. 56).

http://www.unodc.org/pdf/report_2004-08-30_1.pdf

Film

What was one thing about ‘addictions’ that was confirmed for you?

What was one thing you learned? What are the social implications of addiction

for Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside? For Vancouver city generally?