KENORA – Northwestern Ontario youth are vaping, using cannabis and drinking more commonly than their peers in other parts of the province, according to new data.
Grade 9-12 student health data collected in partnership with nine schools in the Northwestern Health Unit’s region in the most recent school year found 29 per cent of students used an e-cigarette (vaped) in the 30 days before data collection.
Across all Ontario schools in the COMPASS study led by researchers at the University of Waterloo, the percentage was 19.
Likewise, 25 per cent of students at high schools in the Northwest Health Unit region reported binge drinking – defined as consuming five or more drinks of alcohol on one occasion – in the preceding 30 days (versus 20 per cent provincewide) and 25 per cent reported cannabis use (17 per cent provincewide).
Only one per cent are meeting the national guideline of two hours or less of recreational screen time per day, according to the study.
“This data provides valuable insights into the everyday life experiences and health behaviours of local youth,” said Stephanie Cran, health promotion coordinator at the health unit.
“Communities, organizations, and schools can use this information to plan programs and policies aimed at improving health outcomes for youth,” she continued.
“As students return to class, the results highlight the importance of supporting new school policies this fall that aim to reduce youth vaping rates and screen time.”
Cran said “multiple factors are impacting these stats,” including “maybe just the culture in the Northwest” where possibly “some of these things are a little bit normalized.”
The health unit “wants to encourage communities to look at prevention strategies to address some of these indicators,” she said.
The acronym COMPASS stands for Cannabis use, Obesity, Mental health, Physical activity, Alcohol use, Smoking and Sedentary behaviour.
