Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse

About: Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse is a nonprofit organization based out in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Poison control & Population. The organization has 37 authors who have published 65 publications receiving 2341 citations.

Assessing problematic cannabis use

Abstract: Many cannabis users do not report experiencing harm from use, suggesting that not all use is cause for concern. The objective of this research is to establish a threshold beyond which cannabis use becomes problematic. Thresholds from the cannabis portion of the Alcohol, Smoking, Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) and the Cannabis Use Disorders Identification Test (CUDIT) were compared against a simple frequency of use question (daily use) for their ability to identify problematic users. Data are drawn from the 2008 Canadian Alcohol and Drug Use Monitoring Survey (n = 16,674). Effectiveness of the thresholds for predicting signs of problematic use was assessed in terms of sensitivity and specificity and in terms of positive and negative predictive values (NPV). The ASSIST (threshold of 8) and the CUDIT (thresholds of 6 and 8) outperformed the frequency measure with regards to sensitivity and specificity; the CUDIT with a threshold of 6 struck the best balance. With regards to positive predictive...

The Helping Horse: How Equine Assisted Learning Contributes to the Wellbeing of First Nations Youth in Treatment for Volatile Substance Misuse.

Abstract: There has been recent interest in Canada exploring the benefits of equine assisted interventions in the treatment of First Nations youth who misuse volatile substances. Using the richness of an exploratory case study involving the White Buffalo Youth Inhalant Treatment Centre and the Cartier Equine Learning Center, our community-based study examined the question of how an Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) program contributes to the wellbeing of First Nations female youth who misuse volatile substances. Both programs are grounded in a holistic bio-psycho-social-spiritual framework of healing. Our study shares how the EAL horses, facilitators and program content contributed to youths' wellbeing in each area of the healing framework (bio-psycho-social-spiritual), with emphasis on the cultural significance of the horse and its helping role. The horse is a helper in the girls' journeys toward improved wellbeing-the horse helps through its very nature as a highly instinctive animal, it helps the facilitators do their jobs, and it also helps put the treatment program activities into practice. In addition, the role of First Nations culture in the girls' lives was enhanced through their encounters with the horses. The findings support the limited literature on equine assisted interventions and add important insights to the youth addictions treatment literature. Key implications to consider for EAL and volatile substance misuse policy, practice and research are identified.

Drawing the line on risky use of cannabis: Assessing problematic use with the ASSIST

Abstract: Health and social harms from cannabis use typically are assessed by comparing those who use to those who do not use. Recognizing that not all use of cannabis is necessarily problematic, we examine rates of self-reported harms as a function of frequency of use. Second, we assess the effectiveness of the cannabis portion of the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) as a screening tool for identifying problematic cannabis users. Data come from the Canadian Addiction Survey (CAS; N = 13,909) and the 2006 NWT Addictions Survey (2006 NWTAS; N = 1235). Results from both surveys indicate that harms are most likely among weekly and daily users. Although frequent users are at increased risk of harms, greater balance of sensitivity with specificity is obtained with the ASSIST screening tool using a somewhat higher threshold than what is suggested in clinical applications of the instrument. Implications for this higher threshold for public policy are discussed.

The economic costs of illicit drug use in Ontario, 1992.

Abstract: The use of illicit drugs causes health and social problems which imply economic costs to society. This paper uses the cost-of-illness method, in particular, the human–capital approach to estimate the prevalence-based economic costs of illicit drug use in Ontario in 1992. This methodology is consistent with international guidelines formulated at the 1994 International Symposium on Economic and Social Costs of Substance Abuse. The economic cost of illicit drug use is estimated at $489.29 million (Canadian dollars) in 1992. Associated with these costs are health-related harms: 211 deaths, half of which occur before the age of 35; and 20 690 days stay in public hospitals. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.