ILLEGAL DRUG USE SENDING MORE TO HOSPITAL

VICTORIA -- Illegal drug use is sending an increasing number of
British Columbians to hospital for treatment of symptoms ranging from
psychotic episodes and pregnancy complications to traffic accidents,
says a report released yesterday. The University of Victoria Centre
for Addictions Research study concluded the number of people who went
to hospital for treatment of issues and symptoms related to illegal
drug use has increased by almost 37 per cent over a five-year period.

But the biggest killers in British Columbia by far are still tobacco
and alcohol.

"B.C. continues to experience substantial harms associated with the
use of legal and illegal drugs," a statement from the centre said.
"The bulk of this harm is associated with legal drugs, principally
alcohol and tobacco."

Researchers found alcohol causes more than twice as many deaths as all
major illicit drugs combined, and tobacco causes on average five times
more deaths than alcohol.

From 2002 to 2007, the number of alcohol-related deaths was 4,431,
while illegal drugs killed 1,814 people in B.C. and tobacco resulted
in 22,972 deaths. "Tobacco causes a huge, huge proportion [of hospital
treatment and deaths] in comparison," said Jane Buxton, of the B.C.
Centre for Disease Research.

Researchers found the number of people who went to hospital because of
illegal drug use jumped by about 37 per cent from 2002 to 2007, up to
22,381.

Hospital visits due to alcohol increased 3 per cent, to 89,065, in the
same period but those caused by tobacco actually dropped 8 per cent,
to 134,441.

Dr. Buxton said the tobacco numbers are staggering despite the decline
in tobacco use.

"Tobacco consumption is going down, therefore, reasons for
hospitalization are decreasing, but this is a slow decrease," she
said. "We have the lowest smoking rate in Canada here in B.C. and we
are subsequently seeing the numbers related to smoking are decreasing
as well."

Researchers also found that crystal meth use appears to be declining
while the use of cocaine and crack cocaine is up.

The study also examined the numbers of drug seizures by police and
customs officials, and concluded crack cocaine seizures in B.C. have
increased by more than 1,700 per cent in the 10 years from 1997 to
2007.

Marijuana seizures in B.C. still topped the list at 6,524 but the
sharpest rise was in crack cocaine, at 3,305 seizures, the study said.

Researchers also found that ecstasy seizures increased by 1,664 per
cent from 1997 to 2007.

Nationally, B.C. represents a majority of the police seizures of crack
cocaine and heroin, but the province represents barely over 1 per cent
of nationwide seizures of amphetamines.

In 2007, 49 per cent of Canada's crack cocaine seizures and 68 per
cent of its heroin were from B.C., said the study.

The study also found that drug issues were sending more people to
hospital in the Vancouver area, while northern B.C. residents were
more likely to end up in hospital for treatment related to alcohol
abuse.

The data used in the study came from a variety of sources, including
B.C. Vital Statistics, the B.C. Health Ministry and Victoria and
Vancouver surveys of high-risk populations, as well as federal Health
Canada statistics.