Ontario adults are drinking more alcohol, consuming increasing amounts of cannabis and are experiencing high levels of psychological distress, according to the 2009 CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health) Monitor Survey, which was published on June 13th.

Alcohol - 5.3% of Ontario adults in 2002 reported daily drinking, this figure rose to 9% in 2009. During the same period the number of drinks (average) consumed each week rose from 3 to 4.6. The percentage of adults drinking above the low-risk drinking guidelines remained the same at 22%.

On the positive side, binge drinking dropped from 12.6% in 2006 to 7.1% in 2009 - among young adults the figure dropped from 24% to 11.5%.

The percentage of adults driving within an hour of drinking at least two drinks dropped from 13.1% in 1996 to 6.9% in 2009. However, among 18 to 29 year olds the proportion grew from 7.7% in 2005 to 12.8% in 2009.

Senior Scientist and lead investigator, Dr. Robert Mann, CAMH, said:

"The data tell us that while the number of people who drink alcohol has not changed, the way they are drinking has -- people are drinking more often and may be consuming more alcohol when they do drink, although there may be fewer binge occasions. We know that the more access people have to alcohol, the more people will drink, leading to more instances of drinking and driving. Measures such as Random Breath Testing and lowering legal limits to .05% can reduce drunk driving deaths. The implementation of .05% legislation in British Columbia appears to have resulted in a 50% decrease in drinking and driving deaths in that province."

Cannabis - 8.7% of Ontarians used cannabis in 1996 compared to 13.3% in 2009. Among 19 to 29 year olds the figure rose from 18.3% to 35.8%.

Dr. Mann said:

"These increases are of concern to us. We know that cannabis use may increase the risk of psychosis for people who are predisposed to schizophrenia, and may worsen the symptoms of other mental illnesses."

Between 1996 and 2009 the percentage of Ontarians aged at least 50 who use cannabis rose from 1.4% to 4.7%.

Tobacco - regular cigarette smoking dropped from 19.7% in 2008 to 18.6% in 2009 - the figure in 1009 was 26.8%. Dr. Mann believes anti-smoking legislation played a key role in bringing down smoking rates.

Mental Health - 14.7% of Ontarians reported symptoms of heightened psychological distress, a total of 1,400,000 people. Nearly 6% of those questioned said their overall mental health was poor.

The highest rates of poor mental health were found among the 30 to 39 year age groups, while people aged 65+ reported the lowest rates of poor mental health. People who had not graduated from high school had higher rates of poor mental health, while individuals with a college degree reported lower rates.

Dr. Mann said:

"These results suggest that the social determinants of health, such as income, play as important a role in mental health as they do in physical health."

Anti-anxiety medication use rose from 4.5% of the adult population in 1999 to 7% in 2009. However, the authors point out that in recent years the percentage has remained stable.

3.6% of people took antidepressant drugs in 1999, compared to 6.6% in 2009.

Dr. Mann said:

"Though these are marked increases, they may also be showing that more people experiencing mental health problems are seeking and receiving help, which is a positive step."

Patterns did not vary widely across different parts of Ontario. People from Toronto were found to be the lowest drinkers, while a higher percentage of regular smokers were found in Northern Ontario. The heaviest drinkers were in the South West region.

"2009 CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health) Monitor Survey"