DRUG USE UP AMONG YOUNG: STUDY

OTTAWA -- The number of young Canadians smoking pot and injecting
drugs has doubled over the last decade, according to a groundbreaking
national study. The Canadian Addiction Survey also paints a disturbing
picture of heavy drinking among young people aged 15 to 24.

The soaring numbers prompted officials from Health Canada and Canadian
Executive Council on Addictions Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse,
which oversaw the survey, to admit previous prevention campaigns had
failed.

"We have to find out what these prevention campaigns were. In fact, we
don't feel they have been very effective," said Michel Perron, of the
Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse.

"Now we have the opportunity to make young people aware, once more, of
the dangers inherent to use."

Over the last year 14% of Canadians said they smoked pot, compared to
7.4% in 1994. Overall, 45.5% of Canadians said they smoked pot
sometime in their lives - almost double the number a decade ago.

Ten years ago, the survey showed 1.7 million Canadians had injected
drugs at least once. This year it's estimated 4.1 million can make
that claim.

The report also shows that when it comes to alcohol, 79.3% of
Canadians over the age of 15 said they drink - with 44% doing so on a
weekly basis.

"(In 2004) drinking rates peak among youth 18 to 24 years of age, with
about 90% of people in that age range consuming alcohol during the
course of the year," the report states.

A total 13,900 Canadians were surveyed with a minimum of 1,000 in each
province.