POT USE IN SASK. BELOW NATIONAL AVERAGE

Marijuana use in Saskatchewan remains below the national rate, however
usage in Canada is on the rise and has nearly doubled in the past
decade, according to a major survey on alcohol and drug use released
Wednesday.

The Canadian Addiction Survey reported that 14 per cent of respondents
had used marijuana in the past year, nearly double the 7.4 per cent
rate reported in 1994.

A provincial breakdown revealed 11.4 per cent of Saskatchewan
residents 15 years and older used marijuana in the past year, and 41
per cent had tried the illicit drug at least once in their lifetime.
The survey also noted that 2.8 per cent of Saskatchewan residents have
tried other mood altering illicit drugs in the past year.

"The rise in cannabis use, especially among young Canadians, is of
concern because we know that cannabis is not a benign substance. There
are a number of health risks associated with use and these risks
increase with a lower age of initiation and more frequent use," said
Michel Perron, chief executive office with the Canadian Centre on
Substance Abuse (CCSA).

Reported youth rates nationally show almost 30 per cent of 15 to 17
year olds and just over 47 per cent of 18 and 19 year olds have used
marijuana in the past year.

No one from the provincial Health Department was available Wednesday
to discuss the survey findings.

The survey reveals that 79 per cent of Canadians aged 15 and older
drink, but drink in moderation and without harm. In Saskatchewan 78
per cent of residents drink, slightly below the national average, but
a greater percentage say that their drinking and drug use in the past
year has affected their health, personal relationships, work and home
life.

According to the World Health Organization's Alcohol Use Disorders
Identification Test (AUDIT), 17 per cent of past-year drinkers are
considered high-risk drinkers. High-risk drinkers are predominantly
males and those under the age of 25.

"The increase in heavy drinking by young Canadians is of concern and
awareness and prevention campaigns should be increasingly targeted at
these groups," said John Borody, president of the Canadian Executive
Council on Addictions (CECA).

A total of 13,909 Canadians, with a minimum of 1,000 in each province,
participated in the survey sponsored by Health Canada, the CECA and
CCSA.