Emerging Trends in Alcohol and Drug
Use in Saskatoon: Highlights
Spring 2011
Molly Bell, Colleen Dell, and Randy Duncan
Project background
 Canadian Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use
(CCENDU): http://www.ccsa.ca/Eng/Priorities/Research/CCENDU/Pages/default.aspx
Drug & alcohol indicators
 Prevalence
 Enforcement
 Treatment
 Morbidity
 Mortality
 AIDS/HIV/HepC
 IDU
 Needle exchange
Methodology
 114-item questionnaire completed by 51 key informants
during Winter/Spring 2011
 Additional respondents were identified by the research team
and key informants
 Respondents included emergency room physicians, public
health nurses, emergency medical (or ambulance) technicians,
addictions counselors, pharmacists, mental health specialists,
drug enforcement officers, social workers, drug users
 Interpretation panel to verify the questionnaire findings
 Existing sources of quantitative data also reported on
Saskatoon: Demographics
 Largest city in Saskatchewan
 ~ 250,000 residents
 ~ 17,600 individuals of Registered
Indian Status
 ~17,000 immigrants
Saskatoon
 Agriculture and mining are large
industries
 The Saskatoon Health Region & University
of Saskatchewan are large employers
 2010 unemployment rate was 4.3%
Social determinants of health
 The social determinants of health are the economic and social
conditions under which people live and influence their
health.
 A 2009 Saskatoon Health Region report identified significant
health disparities between affluent and low-income residents
in the city.
 A large proportion of Saskatoon’s First Nations and Métis
populations live in low-income
neighborhoods, and face poorer
health status in comparison to the
rest of the city’s population.
Problematic substance use
Percent of key informants indicating a "very serious" or
"somewhat serious” problem for 13 substances
100
90
% of respondents
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Substance
Cocaine/crack
Cocaine/crack
50
45
% of respondents (n=51)
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Very serious
Somewhat serious
Not at all serious
Don't know
Cocaine/crack: Typical users
Cocaine/crack
100
90
% of respondents (n=47)
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Females
(<19)
Males
(<19)
Females Males (19- Females Males (30- Females Males (50- Females
(19-29)
29)
(30-49)
49)
(50-69)
69)
(>70)
Males
(>70)
Don't know
Cannabis
Cannabis
60
% of respondents (n=50)
50
40
30
20
10
0
Very serious
Somewhat serious
Not at all serious
Don't know
Cannabis: Typical users
Cannabis
100
90
% of respondents (n=46)
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Females
(<19)
Males
(<19)
Females Males (19- Females Males (30- Females Males (50- Females
(19-29)
29)
(30-49)
49)
(50-69)
69)
(>70)
Males
(>70)
Don't know
Opioid prescription drugs
Opioid Prescription Drugs
70
60
% of respondents (n=48)
50
40
30
20
10
0
Very serious
Somewhat serious
Not at all serious
Don't know
Opioid prescription drugs: Typical users
Opioid Prescription Drugs
100
90
% of respondents (n=42)
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Females
(<19)
Males
(<19)
Females Males (19- Females Males (30- Females Males (50- Females
(19-29)
29)
(30-49)
49)
(50-69)
69)
(>70)
Males
(>70)
Don't know
Alcohol
Alcohol
80
70
% of respondents (n=43)
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Very serious
Somewhat serious
Not at all serious
Don't know
Alcohol: Typical users
Alcohol
100
90
% of respondents (n=36)
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Females
(<19)
Males
(<19)
Females Males (19- Females Males (30- Females Males (50- Females
(19-29)
29)
(30-49)
49)
(50-69)
69)
(>70)
Males
(>70)
Don't know
Prevalence: Additional information
 Geographic distribution of problematic substance use
 Cocaine/crack, methadone and non-potable substances a
particular concern for lower-income neighborhoods.
 Alcohol, cannabis, opioid and non-opioid prescription drugs,
amphetamines, and ecstasy were identified a city-wide problems
 Heroin, hallucinogens, steroids and solvents were not identified
as problematic.
 Other substances of concern
 Energy drinks and salvia
Enforcement
Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
Violations in Saskatoon (2010)
Importation, 1
Production, 13
Criminal Code Traffic Violations in
Saskatoon (2010)
Trafficking, 147
Posession, 779
Other
criminal
code
traffic, 95
Dangerous
operation of a
motor vehicle, 96
Impaired
operation of a
motor vehicle, 544
Enforcement
 Increased trafficking in nearly all substances in Saskatoon, and
especially cocaine/crack, cannabis, opioids and ecstasy.
 Factors cited as causes for the increase:
 demand from consumers
 availability from suppliers
 poverty
 lack of affordable housing
 difficulty accessing treatment programs
 Saskatoon’s healthy economy
Treatment: Demographics
Gender
Age
Youth
under 19
9%
Female
33%
Male
67%
Adults over 19
90%
Treatment
 Key informants indicated an increase in individuals seeking
treatment in the past year.
 Substances most frequently cited are alcohol, cocaine/crack,
cannabis and opioids.
 Contributing factors:
 Decreased health and wellness
 Lack of affordable housing
 Poverty
 Typical treatment seekers were males
and females 49 years of age and under.
Morbidity
 Key informants identified an increase in individuals seeking
medical care due to alcohol and drug use over the past year
 Substances most frequently cited were alcohol, cocaine/crack,
cannabis, and opioids
 Poverty was the most frequently identified cause
 All age groups identified as seeking care, with males and females
49 and under cited most frequently
Mortality
 Key informants identified an increase in substance-related
deaths over the past year in Saskatoon.
 Substances most frequently cited are alcohol, cocaine/crack,
opioids and illicit methadone.
 Males and females age 19 to
49 were the most frequently cited as
suffering drug-related
deaths.
 All age groups were identified for
alcohol-related deaths.
HIV/AIDS/Hepatitis C
 Injection Drug Use (IDU)
 In 2009/2010, 14% of treatment admissions in Saskatoon
reported IDU in the past month.
 Cocaine and morphine were the most frequently injected drugs reported,
followed by Ritalin© and Concerta©.
 In 2009, 11,216 loose needles were recovered in Saskatoon neighborhoods
 One-third of key informants identified an increase in IDU in Saskatoon
over the past year.
 Cocaine/crack were identified most frequently, followed far behind by heroin
and methadone.
 Typical injection drug users were identified as males and females 19-29,
followed by individuals 30 to 49 and youth under 19.
 35% of informants believe there has been an increase in IDU associated
risky behaviours (e.g., needle sharing/reuse, unprotected sex) over the
past 12 months in Saskatoon, placing individuals at increased risk of
contracting HIV/AIDS & Hepatitis C.
Pregnancy
 In 2009/2010, 4% of women admitted to drug
and alcohol treatment services in Saskatoon
were pregnant.
 Key informants identified an increase in the
number of women who use substances during pregnancy.
 Key respondents also identified an increase in pregnant
women accessing treatment, requiring medical care, being
involved with the law, and being HIV and Hepatitis C
infected.
Future Directions
 Question:
 What does this means for your work?
 How can we address this?
 Early detection and surveillance network established in
Saskatoon:
 Google® group created to enhance information sharing and
communication among drug and alcohol use-related sectors
 Contact Molly Bell at molly.bell@shaw.ca to join
 Saskatoon CCENDU report available at:
http://www.addictionresearchchair.com/disseminating-knowledge/ccendu/
References

Needle Safe Saskatoon. (2010). 2010 Newsletter. Retrieved from:
http://www.aidssaskatoon.ca/web/sites/default/files/NSS%202010%20Newsletter%20FINAL.pdf

Opondo J. (2010). Saskatoon: Updated information on an HIV epidemic in the prairies. PowerPoint Presentation. Saskatoon.

Saskatchewan Government Insurance. (2011). 2009 Saskatchewan traffic accident facts. Regina. Retrieved from:
https://www.sgi.sk.ca/sgi_pub/road_safety/trafficcollisionstats/pdf/2009/TAIS2009section10.pdf

Saskatchewan Ministry of Health. (nd). Saskatchewan’s HIV strategy: 2010-2014. Regina: Ministry of Health. Retrieved from:
http://www.allnationshope.ca/Documents/hiv-strategy-2010-2014.pdf
Saskatchewan Ministry of Health. (2011). Community Care Branch, Community Program Profile 2009-10, unpublished. Regina:
Ministry of Health.

Saskatoon Health Region. (2009). 2009-2010 Annual Report to The Minister of Health. Saskatoon: SHR. Retrieved from:
http://www.saskatoonhealthregion.ca/about_us/documents/shr_annual_report_2009_10.pdf

Saskatoon Health Region. (unpub). Preliminary results from the 2009 Enhanced Street Youth Survey.

Saskatoon Police Service. (2010). Month-end and year-end crime statistics. Retrieved from:
http://www.police.saskatoon.sk.ca/pdf/Dec_Monthend_Detail.pdf

Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority. (2011). Business statistics. Retrieved from:
http://www.sreda.com/en/pages/354/business_statistics.html

Statistics Canada. (2007). Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (Code4711066) (table). 2006 Community Profiles. 2006 Census. Statistics
Canada Catalogue no. 92-591-XWE. Ottawa. Retrieved from: http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/dppd/prof/92-591/index.cfm?Lang=E

Statistics Canada. (2010). Labour Force Information. Catalogue no. 71-001-X. Ottawa. Retrieved from:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/71-001-x/71-001-x201003_eng.html