1. SOCI3055A STUDIES IN ADDICTIONS January 23, 2007 Part I – Alcohol, drugs and other forms of addiction

2. 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 at Columbia 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.

3. Class outline 1.January 16 class questions 2.Chad Dubeau, CCSA Information Specialist 3.Dorothy Proctor, Reflections on understanding addiction 4.The epidemiology of alcohol and drugs 5.Tara Lyons, Talking about ecstasy 6.Discussion questions – “FIX: The Story of an Addicted City”

4. January 16 class questions  Understanding addiction  The drugs  Detoxification  The behaviours

5. 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/CanadianA ddictionSurveyReleaseofMicrodataFiles.htm

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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.

9. Change over time in consumption:  ALCOHOL (current drinkers) 1989  78% 2004  79%  CANNABIS (used in lifetime) 1989  23% 2004  45%

10. 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).

11. 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 Use http://www.ccsa.ca/NR/rdonlyres/628CF348-1B92-45D5-A84F- 303D1B799C8F/0/ccsa0111422005.pdf http://www.ccsa.ca/NR/rdonlyres/628CF348-1B92-45D5-A84F- 303D1B799C8F/0/ccsa0111422005.pdf

12. 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 Female71.5%74.0%76.8% Male79.8%82.2%82.0%

13. 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).

14. 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.

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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?