Information for Professionals

Last revised: August 10, 2023

Information for Pharmacists 

Naloxone Distribution

Interested in collaborating with OPH to deliver group naloxone trainings where we can train together, and you can distribute kits to Ottawa residents? 

Send an email to Ottawa Public Health's Addictions and Substance Use Health team at substancehealthsante@ottawa.ca to discuss more.

Pharmacists are highly respected as the medication management experts of the health care team.  By becoming a participant in the Ontario Naloxone Program for Pharmacies (ONPP), your pharmacy can increase access to naloxone and be part of the enhanced response to overdose prevention in our community.

For more information about opioids, naloxone and the ONPP visit the links below:

  • Ministry of Health and Ministry of Long Term Care  (Eng) (Fr)
  • Ontario Pharmacists Association

Unused or Expired Medication Disposal at Pharmacies

Pharmacies play a fundamental role in raising awareness about the importance of properly disposing of unused or expired medications by providing a drop-off location for such medications as over-the-counter, prescription and natural health products through Health Products Stewardship Associations' (HPSA) Ontario Medications Return Program (OMRP), and for sharps materials and devices through its Sharps Collection Program (OSCP).

For more information visit the link below:

  • Health Products Stewardship Association – Information for Pharmacists regarding Medication Return program (English only)

For opioid inquiries or Naloxone training, please contact the Ottawa Public Health Information Line at healthsante@ottawa.ca or call 613-580-6744 ( TTY: 613-580-9656, Toll free: 1-866-426-8885) Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm (closed on statutory holidays).

Find Your Way Community Resource Guide

A picture of a thumbnail of the Find Your Way Community Resource Guide.

The “Find Your Way Community Resource Guide” provides both practitioners and service recipients contact information for organizations such as drug treatment centres, crisis lines, shelters, locations to pick up safer injection and inhalation supplies, as well as information on other community agencies. 

For additional support, visit the Mental Health and Substance Use Health Services and Resources webpage.

Revised August 20, 2024

Contents

Shelters

MEN:

The Ottawa Mission         

35 Waller St., 613-234-1144

The Salvation Army          

171 George St., 613-241-1573

Shepherds of Good Hope

230 Murray St., 613-241-6494

(YSB) Young Men’s Emergency Shelter

613-907-8975

 

WOMEN:

Cornerstone Emergency Shelter          

613-237-4669 ext. 300

Women’s Transitional Emergency Shelter Program, Shepherds of Good Hope

256 King Edward Ave., 613-688-2929 ext. 322

(YSB) Young Women’s Emergency Shelter

613-789-8220

 

WOMEN FLEEING ABUSE:

Chrysalis House, 613-591-5901

Interval House, 613-234-5181

Maison D’Amitié, 613-747-0020

Nelson House, 613-225-3129

 

MEN & WOMEN:

YMCA/YWCA, 180 Argyle Ave., 613-237-1320, 311

 

FAMILY:

Carling Family Shelter, 613-820-9909

Needles and safer inhalation equipment public locations

AIDS Committee of Ottawa

19 Main St., 613-238-5014

Carlington Community Health Centre & 24 Community Health Box

900 Merivale Rd., 613-722-4000 ext.260

Belong Ottawa @ Centre 454

454 King Edward Ave., 613-235-4351

Belong Ottawa @ St. Luke’s Table

211 Bronson Ave., 613-238-4193

Centre 507

507 Bank St., 613-233-5626 ext.221

Centretown Community Health Centre

420 Cooper St., 613-233-4443 ext.2208

Max Ottawa

400 Cooper St. Unit 9004, 613-440-3237

Ontario Addictions Treatment Centres

1318 Carling Ave., 613-627-0856

263 Montreal Rd., 613-749-9666

401 Somerset St., West 613-233-1114

Onyx Community Services

311 McArthur Rd., 1-888-833-5303

Operation Come Home

150 Gloucester Street., 613-230-4663

24hr: 1-800-668-4663

Ottawa Inner City Health-Shepherds of Good Hope

265 King Edward Ave., (343) 996-4376

Ottawa Public Health, Harm Reduction Program

179 Clarence St., 613-580-2424 ext. 29047

Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre

1365 Richmond Rd., 2nd Floor., 613-820-2001

Sandy Hill Community Health Centre, Oasis

221 Nelson St., 613-569-3488 ext. 2101

South East Ottawa Community Health Centre

600-1355 Bank St., 613-737-5115

Site Van       

613-232-3232 *Collect Calls Accepted

Somerset West Community Health Centre,

N.E.S.I. Room

55 Eccles St., 613-238-8210 ext. 2246

Somerset West CHC, N.E.S.I. Van

613-761-0003

Terrasses Montfort Renaissance

1900 Blvd. St. Joseph, 613-424-3400

The Well

154 Somerset West., 613-594-8861

Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health

299 Montreal Rd., 613-748-5999 ext. 230

Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa

147 Besserer St., 613-241-7788 ext.300

 

Mobile and outreach services

Drug Overdose Prevention & Education Response Team (DOPE)

Carlington Catchment:  613-619-0584

Centretown Catchment:  613-619-0543

Somerset Catchment:  613-402-5189

Somerset West CHC, N.E.S.I. Van

613-761-0003

Site Van, Ottawa Public Health    

613-232-3232 *Collect Calls Accepted

S.T.O.R.M. Van (Aboriginal Women)

613-265-7558 

SWCHC: Homeless Crisis Outreach Project

West Centretown:  613-447-0029

General outreach

Salvation Army Van

613-296-8355 or 311

StreetSmarts Outreach

613-979-3387

Pharmacy-needle/Syringe 5-packs

Centretown Pharmacy

326 Bank St., 613-422-2900

Ottawa South Respect Rx Pharmacy

20-1800 Bank St., 613-424-9555

Palmyra Guardian

1013 Merivale Rd., 613-729-7117

Parkway Pharmacy

311 McArthur Ave., 613-749-2324

Respect Rx Vanier

45 Montreal Rd., 613-422-8181

Respect Rx West

14-2006 Roberston Rd., 613-680-6999

Respect Rx South

1800 Bank St., 613-414-9555

Shoppers Drug Mart

1300 Stitsville Main St., 613-831-0901

Swift Compounding Pharmacy

276 Bank St., 613-422-2202

Trust Care Pharmasave

1020 St. Laurent Blvd., 613-749-8577

Whole Health Pharmacy Ogilvie

1150 Cadboro Rd., 613-749-7455

Drug information and treatment
INFORMATION:

ConnexOntario: Community Mental Health and Addiction Services

1-866-531-2600

 

DETOX:

Ottawa Withdrawal Management Centre

1777 Montreal Road., 613-241-1525

 

SUPPORT SERVICES & TREATMENT

AccessMHA

www.accessmha.ca, 613-241-5202

Addiction and Mental Health Services,

Sandy Hill Community Health Centre

221 Nelson St., 613-789-1500

Addiction Services, The Ottawa Mission

35 Waller St., 613-234-1144

Alcoholics Anonymous Hotline

613-237-6000

Amethyst Women’s Addiction Centre

488 Wilbrod St., 613-563-0363

Canadian Mental Health Association

201-311 McArthur Ave., 613-737-7791

Dave Smith Youth Treatment Centre

112 Willowlea Rd., Carp, 613-594-8333

Managed Alcohol Program

256 King Edward Ave., 613-688-2929 x336

Montfort Renaissance

613-241-1266

Narcotics Anonymous Hotline

Free:1-888-811-3887

OASIS, Sandy Hill Community Health Centre

221 Nelson St., 613-569-3488

Ontario Addiction Treatment Centres

401 Somerset St. West, 613-233-1114

263 Montreal Rd., 613-749-9666

1318 Carling Ave., 613-627-0856

Recovery Ottawa

45 Montreal Rd.., 613-763-6882

306 Rideau St., 613-454-0321

2006 Robertson Rd., 613-903-6006

1800 Bank St., 613-425-9525

Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM)

613-722-6521, ext. 6508

Rideauwood Addiction and Family Services

312 Parkdale Ave., 613-724-4881

Serenity Renewal for Families

202-2255 St. Laurent Blvd., 613-523-5143

SMART Recovery

613-789-8941

T.E.S.P Transitional Emergency Shelter Program, Shepherds of Good Hope

256 King Edward Ave., 613-688-2929 x349

The Oaks, Shepherds of Good Hope

1053-1057 Merivale Rd., 613-288-0374

Youth Services Bureau – Downtown Drop In

147 Besserer St., 613-241-7788 X300 or 400

Residential treatment facilities

MEN:

Anchorage, The Salvation Army

175 George St., 613-241-1573 ext. 308/326

Harvest House

3435 Ramsayville Rd., 613-521-9114

Serenity House

103 Leopolds Dr., 613-733-3663

Sobriety House

90 First Ave., 613-233-0828

Terrasses Montfort Renaissance
1900 St-Joseph Boulevard
613-424-3400

 

WOMEN:

Empathy House

360 Sunnyside Ave., 613-730-7319

Vesta Recovery Program for Women

101 James St., 613-233-0353

Terrasses Montfort Renaissance
1900 St-Joseph Boulevard
613-424-3400

 

FRENCH SERVICES:

Maison Fraternité

242 Cantin St., 613-741-2523

 

YOUTH:

Dave Smith Youth Treatment Centre (Male & Gender Diverse)

1986 Scotch Corners Rd., 613-594-8333 ext. 3101

Dave Smith Youth Treatment Centre (Women & Gender Diverse)

1883 Bradley Side Rd., 613-594-8333 ext. 2207

Drop-in centres/day programs

Belong Ottawa at Centre 454

454 King Edward Ave., 613-235-4351

Belong Ottawa at St. Luke's Table

Temporary Location: 211 Bronson Ave.

Saturday Program: 70 James St., 613-238-4193 

Belong Ottawa at The Well

154 Somerset St W., 613-594-8861

Capital City Mission

521 Rideau St., 613-241-2407

Centre Espoir Sophie (Women)

145 Murray St., 613-789-5119

Centre 507

507 Bank St., 613-233-5626

Kind Space

400 Cooper St., 613-563-4818

Minwaashin Lodge Aboriginal

Women’s Support Centre

100-1155 Lola St., 613-741-5590

Oasis, Sandy Hill Community Health Centre

221 Nelson St., 613-569-3488

Operation Come Home

150 Gloucester., 613-230-4663

or 1-800-668-4663

St. Joe's Women's Centre

151 Laurier Ave. East, 613-231-6722

Shawenjeagamik Drop-In Centre

510 Rideau St., 613-789-3077

The Living Room, AIDS Committee of Ottawa

19 Main St., 613-563-0851

The Well (Women)

154 Somerset St. West, 613-594-8861

Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health

299 Montreal Rd., 613-748-5999

Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa

147 Besserer St., 613-241-7788

Crisis lines/crisis services

Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline

24/7 Crisis Line, 1-833-900-1010

Distress Centre (24 hours)         

613-238-3311

Ottawa Hospital Mobile Crisis Team (Van)

613-722-6914

Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre         

613-562-2333

Ottawa Victim Services

600-250 City Centre Ave., 613-238-2762

Sexual Assault Support Centre (24 hours)

613-234-2266

Suicide Crisis Helpline

9-8-8

Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa

24/7 Crisis Line: 1-877-377-7775, 613-260-2360

Sexual health, pregnancy and birth control

Planned Parenthood Ottawa

404-222 Somerset St. West, 613-226-3234

Sexual Health Centre & Gay Zone

179 Clarence St., 613-234-4641 (reception)

Ontario Sexual Health Info Line

1-800-668-2437

YSB Youth Health Clinic

147 Besserer St., 613-241-7913 ext. 222

HIV/AIDS

AIDS Committee of Ottawa             

19 Main St., 613-238-5014

Bruce House

402-251 Bank St., 613-729-0911

Bureau Régional d’Action, SIDA (BRAS)

(French Services)

109 Wright St, Hull, Québec., 819-776-2727

Oasis, Sandy Hill Community Health Centre

221 Nelson St., 613-569-3488

The Living Room, AIDS Committee of Ottawa

19 Main St., 613-563-0851

System navigation telephone lines

Client and Social Services Ontario

2-1-1

Health Connect Ontario

8-1-1

Ottawa Client Services

3-1-1

Additional Services

Dental Health Services

613-580-6744 ext. 23510

Gignul Housing Inc (Aboriginal Services)

396 MacLaren St., 613-232-0016

HALCO – HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario

1-888-705-8889

Housing Help

502-309 Cooper St., 613-563-4532

Legal Aid of Ontario

73 Albert St., 613-238-7931

Men & Healing

209-1300 Carling Ave., 613-482-9363

Odawa Native Friendship Centre

815 St. Laurent Blvd., 613-722-3811

Ottawa Police Service

613-236-1222

The Food Bank

 613-745-7001

The Ottawa Mission’s Dental Clinic

35 Waller St., 613-234-1144 ext. 314

The Ottawa Mission’s Primary Care Clinic

35 Waller St., 613-288-0460

University of Ottawa Community Legal Clinic

17 Copernicus St., 613-562-5600

Voice Found/Strength Found

613-763-5332//1-866-239-0558

Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health

299 Montreal Rd., 613-748-5999

Supervised consumptions services

Ottawa Public Health

179 Clarence St.

Sandy Hill Community Health Centre

221 Nelson St.

Somerset West Community Health Centre

55 Eccles St.

The Trailer, Shepherds of Good Hope

230 Murray St.


Drug Use and Overdose Statistics

Please refer to Ottawa's Overdose Overview and the Mental Health, Addictions and Substance Use Health Community Dashboard for up-to-date data on substance use health in Ottawa.

For additional information on substance use health and available resources and services in Ottawa, please refer to Ottawa Public Health's (OPH) Stop Overdose webpage. For additional topical information on:

For additional information on substance use health in Ontario, please refer to Public Health Ontario's Substance Use and Harms Tool. This tool allows users to explore the most recent substance use health data, including emergency department visits, hospitalizations and deaths. Results can be viewed by public health unit, local health integration network, age, sex, and substance type.

Ottawa's Overdose Overview Dashboard

We have seen a significant increase in the harms of fatal and non-fatal overdoses since the start of the pandemic and unfortunately rates have remained elevated. A broad multi-faceted response is needed to help address the overdose crisis. This is a complex issue compounded by interrelated challenges of increased mental health concerns and an increase in the number of residents needing homelessness services in the community. 

The data in Ottawa's Overdose Overview dashboard provide an early signal of changes in suspected overdose-related emergency department (ED) visits and deaths in Ottawa as well as trends in confirmed opioid-related ED visits and deaths among Ottawa residents. Suspect data are based on the chief complaint at triage for ED visits and, for deaths, evidence from the scene/investigation or preliminary autopsy findings. While not all suspected ED visits and deaths are confirmed to be related to an overdose, changes over time will provide useful information about trends in substance related harms. Suspect overdose data are based on all patients seen in Ottawa hospitals and deaths that occurred in Ottawa. Confirmed opioid-related ED visits and deaths are among residents of Ottawa. Data are refreshed as they become available from the various data sources provided to Ottawa Public Health.

The Mental Health, Addictions and Substance Use Health in the Community (MHASUH) Dashboard

The MHASUH dashboard is a community driven tool, built by community partners, for the community. The goal of the dashboard is to improve the health status of the people of Ottawa in relation to mental health, addictions, and substance use health by centralizing and showcasing local data to support further action. This tool can be used to identify needs, inform systems and service planning and contribute to building long-term promotion and prevention strategies in the community.

Open Data on Substance Use Health and Overdoses

The following data tables are available for download on Open Ottawa:

Archived Content on Substance Use Health and Overdoses in Ottawa

Please refer to Ottawa's Overdose Overview and the Mental Health, Addictions and Substance Use Health Community Dashboard for up-to-date data on substance use health in Ottawa.

For additional information on substance use health and available resources and services, please refer to Ottawa Public Health's Stop Overdose webpage.

Overall Substance Use Health - Archived Reports
 
Ottawa Student Drug Use and Health (OSDUH) Report, 2014

The Ottawa Student Drug Use and Health Report 2014 offers a snapshot of health risk behaviours among youth in Ottawa using data from the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS).

Full report [PDF 875 KB]
Infographics:

Substance Misuse in Ottawa, 2013 
This report focuses on the prevalence of substance use and the attributed burden of mental health, addictions, injury and chronic disease in Ottawa. It is meant to inform an evidence-based dialogue in our community to foster effective health prevention, promotion and interventions related to substance misuse.

Substance Misuse in Ottawa Report [PDF 887 KB.]

 Opioids, stimulants, and other drugs - Historical Data and Reports

Drug use may result in acute effects such as overdose (poisoning) or mental and behavioural effects (e.g., the “bad trip” or withdrawal).  Chronic use may cause other adverse health consequences. This section discusses the use of, and resulting acute morbidity and mortality from, drugs other than cannabis, alcohol and tobacco.

Historical Drug Use Data

Emergency Department Visits for Drug Use

In Ottawa:

  • Unintentional opioid drug overdose emergency department visits exceed overdoses from all other drugs combined (e.g., cocaine, barbiturates and amphetamines). Opioid overdoses have increased markedly since 2015 (Figure 3).
  • Young adults have the highest rates of unintentional opioid overdose emergency department visits, peaking in the 30 to 34 year age group (Figure 4).

Figure 3. Emergency department visits for unintentional opioid and non-opioid drug related overdoses in Ottawa from 2008 to 2017

 A line graph showing the count of emergency department visits for unintentional opioid and non-opioid drug overdoses in Ottawa from 2008 to 2017

 Data Source and Notes for Figure 3

Unscheduled emergency department visits, National Ambulatory Care System (2008-2017). Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care IntelliHealth Ontario. Extracted Oct 2, 2018

  • Data includes poisonings from opioids (T400, T401, T402, T403, T404 and T406) and non-opioid drug poisonings (T405, T408, T423, T409 and T436).
  • Data excludes intentional events (X61, X62 and Y87) and those related to cannabis overdoses (T407).
  • Data includes patients with Ottawa as their public health unit of residence.
  • For clarity, rates are not graphed, but are provided in the accompanying data table.
 Data Table for Figure 3
 
Table 3. Emergency department visits for unintentional opioid and non-opioid drug related overdoses in Ottawa from 2008 to 2017
YearAll Opioid Overdoses CountsNon-Opioid Overdoses CountsPopulationOpioid Overdose Rates (per 100,000 population)Non-Opioid Overdoses Rates (per 100,000 population)
2008 103 63 869,015 11.9 7.2
2009 104 61 883,741 11.8 6.9
2010 128 62 899,016 14.2 6.9
2011 138 72 912,248 15.1 7.9
2012 153 68 924,466 16.6 7.4
2013 198 82 936,180 21.1 8.8
2014 196 87 946,870 20.7 9.2
2015 178 94 956,929 18.6 9.8
2016 243 115 973,481 25 11.8
2017 370 122 996,651 37.1 12.2

Figure 4. Emergency department visit rates (counts per 100,000 population) for unintentional opioid overdose by age group in Ottawa, 2017 A bar graph showing the count of emergency department visits for unintentional opioid overdoses in Ottawa by age group in 2017

 Data Sources and Notes for Figure 4

Unscheduled emergency department visits, National Ambulatory Care System (2017). Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care IntelliHealth Ontario. Extracted Oct 2, 2018

  • Data includes unintentional poisonings from opioids (T400, T401, T402, T403, T404 and T406) and non-opioid drug poisonings (T405, T408, T423, T409 and T436).
  • Data excludes intentional events (X61, X62 and Y87) and those related to cannabis overdoses (T407).
  • Data includes patients with Ottawa as their public health unit of residence.
 Data Table for Figure 4
Table 4. Emergency department visit rates (counts per 100,000 population) for unintentional opioid overdose by age group in Ottawa, 2017
Age Group (in Years)Opioid Overdose Rate (per 100,000 population)
Less than 1  No cases
1 to 4  No cases
5 to 9  No cases
10 to 14 5.8
15 to 19 40.5
20 to 24 55.5
25 to 29 71.7
30 to 34 83.4
35 to 39 50.1
40 to 44 33.5
45 to 49 51.5
50 to 54 32.1
55 to 59 37
60 to 64 27.1
65 and Older 17.2
  • A different pattern is seen when looking at drug-related emergency department visits for mental and behavioural disorders in Ottawa (Figure 5Table 6). Non-opioid related mental and behavioural disorder emergency department visits exceed those of opioids and show an increasing trend beginning in 2015 (Figure 5). 

Figure 5. Emergency department drug-related mental and behavioural disorder visits in Ottawa from 2008 to 2017

 A line graph showing the count of emergency department visits for drug-related mental and behavioural disorders in Ottawa from 2008 to 2017

 Data Source and Notes for Figure 5

Unscheduled emergency department visits, National Ambulatory Care System (2008-2017). Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care IntelliHealth Ontario. Extracted Oct 2, 2018

  • Data includes mental and behavioural disorders for opioids (F110-F119) and non-opioids (F130-139, F140-149, F150-159, F160-169, F180-F189 and F190-F199).
  • Data excludes intentional events (X61, X62 and Y87) and those related to cannabis (F120-129).  
  • Data includes patients with Ottawa as their public health unit of residence.
  • Rates are not graphed for clarity, but are provided in the accompanying data table.
 Data Table for Figure 5
Table 5. Emergency department drug related mental and behavioural disorder visits and rates as counts per 100,000 population in Ottawa from 2008 to 2017
YearAll opioid mental disorder countsNon-opioid mental disorder counts Opioid mental disorder rateNon-opioid mental disorder rate 
2008 209 1029 24.1 118.4
2009 229 879 25.9 99.5
2010 345 1014 38.4 112.8
2011 312 1005 34.2 110.2
2012 295 1008 31.9 109
2013 230 926 24.6 98.9
2014 236 1058 24.9 111.7
2015 285 1148 29.8 120
2016 294 1487 30.2 152.8
2017 395 1714 39.6 172.0

 

Table 6. Number of mental and behavioural disorder emergency department visits in Ottawa by drug type, 2017
Drug TypeNumber of emergency department visits
Multiple drug use 947
Cocaine 537
Opioids 395
Stimulants 209
Hypnotics 97
Hallucinogens 21
Solvents Less than 10 visits
 Data Source and Notes for Table 6

Unscheduled emergency department visits, National Ambulatory Care System (2008-2017). Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care IntelliHealth Ontario. Extracted Oct 2, 2018

  • Data includes mental and behavioural disorders for opioids (F110-F119) and non-opioids (F130-139, F140-149, F150-159, F160-169, F180-F189 and F190-F199).
  • Data excludes intentional events (X61, X62 and Y87) and those related to cannabis (F120-129).  
  • Data includes patients with Ottawa as their public health unit of residence.
  • Rates are not graphed for clarity, but are provided in the accompanying data table.

 

Hospitalizations for Drug Use

In Ottawa:

  • Unintentional opioid drug overdose hospitalizations exceeded overdoses from all other drugs combined (e.g., cocaine, barbiturates, amphetamines) (Figure 6).
  • Adults aged 65 and older have the highest rates of unintentional opioid overdose hospitalizations (Figure 7).  This group also has the highest rate of opioid prescription for pain (Figure 8).

Figure 6. Hospitalizations for unintentional drug related overdoses in Ottawa from 2008 to 2017

A line graph showing the count of hospitalizations for unintentional opioid and non-opioid drug overdoses in Ottawa from 2008 to 2017

 Data Source and Notes for Figure 6

Unscheduled hospitalizations, Discharge Abstract Database (2008-2017). Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care IntelliHealth Ontario. Extracted Oct 2, 2018

  • Data includes poisonings from opioids (T400, T401, T402, T403, T404 and T406) and non-opioid drug poisonings (T405, T408, T423, T409 and T436).
  • Data excludes intentional events (X61, X62 and Y87) and those related to cannabis overdoses (T407).
  • Data includes visits with Ottawa as the public health unit of the patient.
  • Rates are not graphed for clarity, but are provided in the accompanying data table
 Data Table for Figure 6
 
Table 7. Hospitalization counts and rates (per 100,000 population) for opioid and non-opioid overdoses
YearHospitalization counts for opioidsHospitalization counts for non-opioidsHospitalization rates for opioidsHospitalization rates for non-opioids
2008 32 16 3.7 1.8
2009 33 12 3.7 1.4
2010 15 13 1.7 1.4
2011 43 9 4.7 1
2012 45 15 4.9 1.6
2013 45 11 4.8 1.2
2014 55 23 5.8 2.4
2015 44 18 4.6 1.9
2016 64 22 6.6 2.3
2017 67 33 6.7 3.3

Figure 7. Hospitalization rates (counts per 100,000 population) for unintentional opioid overdose by age group in Ottawa, 2017

 A bar graph showing the rate of hospitalizations for unintentional opioid and non-opioid drug overdoses in Ottawa by age group in 2017

 Data Source and Notes for Figure 7

Unscheduled hospitalizations, Discharge Abstract Database (2008-2017). Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care IntelliHealth Ontario. Extracted Oct 2, 2018

  • Data includes poisonings from opioids (T400, T401, T402, T403, T404 and T406) and non-opioid drug poisonings (T405, T408, T423, T409 and T436).
  • Data excludes intentional events (X61, X62 and Y87) and those related to cannabis overdoses (T407).
  • Data includes visits with Ottawa as the public health unit of the patient.
  • Rates for those aged 0 to 19 are suppressed due to low counts.
 Data Table for Figure 7
 
Table 8. Hospitalization rates (counts per 100,000 population) for unintentional opioid overdose by age group in Ottawa, 2017
Age Group (in Years) Hospitalization Rate (per 100,000 population)
0 to 19 Not reportable
20 to 29 7
30 to 39 7
40 to 49 9.1
50 to 64 7
65 and older 12.6

Figure 8. Prescription rates as counts per 1,000 population for opioid prescriptions for pain by age group in Ottawa, 2017

A bar graph showing the rate of opioid prescriptions for pain by age group in Ottawa, 2017

 Data Source and Notes for Figure 8

Ontario Drug Policy Research Network. Ontario Prescription Opioid Tool. Toronto, ON; July 2018. Available from: http://odprn.ca/ontario-opioid-drug-observatory/ontario-prescription-opioid-tool/  [Extracted Oct 2, 2018]

 Data Table for Figure 8

 

Table 9. Individual prescription rates as counts per 1,000 population for opioid prescriptions for pain by age group in Ottawa, 2017
Age Group (in Years)Prescription Rate (per 100,000 population)
0 to 14 10.4
15 to 24 71.6
25 to 44 75.6
45 to 64 130.2
65 and older 197.6
  • Although non-opioid mental health and behavioural hospitalizations exceed those that are opioid-related, this difference has narrowed in recent years (Figure 9).
  • Table 11 shows the mental and behavioural disorder hospitalizations by drug type.

Figure 9. Opioid and non-opioid related mental and behavioural disorder hospitalizations in Ottawa from 2008 to 2017

]: A line graph showing the count of hospitalizations for opioid and non-opioid related mental and behavioural disorders in Ottawa from 2008 to 2017

 Data Source and Notes for Figure 9

Unscheduled hospitalizations, Discharge Abstract Database (2008-2017). Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care IntelliHealth Ontario. Extracted Oct 2, 2018

  • Data includes mental and behavioural disorders for opioids (F110-F119) and non-opioids (F130-139, F140-149, F150-159, F160-169, F180-F189 and F190-F199).

  • Data excludes intentional events (X61, X62 and Y87) and those related to cannabis (F120-129). 

  • Data includes patients with Ottawa as their public health unit of residence.

  • Rates are not graphed for clarity, but are provided in the accompanying data table.

 Data Table for Figure 9

Table 10. Opioid and non-opioid related mental and behavioural disorder hospitalizations in Ottawa from 2008 to 2017
YearAll Opioid Mental Disorder CountsNon-Opioid Mental Disorder Counts Opioid Mental Disorder RateNon-Opioid Mental Disorder Rate
2008 85 216 9.8 24.9
2009 97 214 11 24.2
2010 104 214 11.6 23.8
2011 95 188 10.4 20.6
2012 103 189 11.1 20.4
2013 103 171 11 18.3
2014 138 177 14.6 18.7
2015 131 166 13.7 17.3
2016 176 228 18.1 23.4
2017 211 242 21.2 24.3
Table 11. Number of mental and behavioural disorder hospitalizations in Ottawa by drug type, 2017
Drug TypeNumber of hospitalizations
Opioids 211
Cocaine 137
Multiple drug use 104
Hypnotics 26
Stimulants 25
Hallucinogens <10
Solvents <10
 Data Source and Notes for Table 11
Unscheduled hospitalizations, Discharge Abstract Database (2008-2017). Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care IntelliHealth Ontario. Extracted Oct 2, 2018
  • Data includes mental and behavioural disorders for opioids (F110-F119) and non-opioids (F130-139, F140-149, F150-159, F160-169, F180-F189 and F190-F199).

  • Data excludes intentional events (X61, X62 and Y87) and those related to cannabis (F120-129). 

  • Data includes patients with Ottawa as their public health unit of residence.

  • Rates are not graphed for clarity, but are provided in the accompanying data table.

Fatalities and Drug Overdoses in Ottawa

Unintentional Drug Overdose Deaths

  • In 2016, there were 45 deaths associated with unintentional drug overdoses, including overdoses where intent was unknown. The majority of these deaths (37, 82%) were opioid related (Figure 10).
  • Figure 11 shows the age distribution of unintentional drug overdose deaths in Ottawa in 2016.
  • The rate of drug overdose deaths increased 32% in Ottawa between 2014 and 2015 and only 6% in the rest of Ontario (Figure 12). The increase in unintentional overdose deaths in Ottawa and the rest of Ontario has been due to increased unintentional opioid overdose deaths (Figure 12).
  • Since 2014, fentanyl has been involved in the largest proportion of drug overdose deaths in Ottawa. For more information see the "Drug-related death in Ottawa, 2000-2015" report. 

Figure 10. Unintentional drug overdose deaths in Ottawa by type of drug involved, 2016

A stacked bar graph showing the count of unintentional overdose deaths by type of drug in Ottawa in 2016

 Data Source and Notes for Figure 10

Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario, extracted April 2018. Analyzed by Epidemiology Team, Ottawa Public Health.

  • Data includes overdoses that were unintentional or of unknown intent. Data should be considered preliminary. Data includes people with Ottawa as their public health unit of residence.
 Data Table for Figure 10

Table 12. Unintentional drug overdose deaths in Ottawa by type of drug involved, 2016
Drug typeNumber of deaths
Fentanyl 18
Non-fentanyl opioids 19
All opioids 37
Non-opioid  8
Total 45

Figure 11. Age distribution of unintentional drug overdose deaths in Ottawa, 2016 (45 deaths total)

A horizontal bar graph showing the count of overdose deaths in Ottawa in 2016 by age group.

 Data Source and Notes for Figure 11
Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario, extracted April 2018. Analyzed by Epidemiology Team, Ottawa Public Health.
 Data Table for Figure 11
Table 13. Age distribution of Ottawa unintentional drug overdose deaths, 2016 (45 deaths total)
Age GroupNumber of Unintentional Drug Overdose Deaths
0 to 9 Years 0
10 to 19 Years 1
20 to 29 Years 8
30 to 39 Years 14
40 to 49 Years 11
50 to 59 Years 8
60 Years and Older 3

Opioid-Related Overdose Deaths

Total opioid overdose deaths include those that are unintentional, intentional (suicide) or of unknown intent.

  • There were a total of 64 opioid overdose deaths in 2017, an increase from 40 opioid overdose deaths in 2016 (Figure 12). The increase in opioid-related deaths is consistent with the trend seen in emergency room visits and hospitalizations: opioid-related harms have been increasing over the past few years (Figure 12).
  • The mortality rate resulting from opioid use was highest in the 45 to 64 year old age group in 2017 (Figure 13).
  • Fentanyl was the single most common opioid implicated in unintentional opioid-related overdose deaths in 2016 (Figure 10). In 2017, fentanyl was responsible for 72% of all-intent opioid related deaths (46 of 64). [4]

Figure 12. Total opioid overdose deaths in Ottawa and rates per 100,000 population, 2008 to 2017

 A line graph superimposed over a bar graph showing the count of all-intent opioid overdose deaths in Ottawa in 2008 to 2017.

 Data Source and Notes for Figure 12

Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). Interactive Opioid Tool. Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer for Ontario; 2018. Available from: http://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/DataAndAnalytics/Opioids/Opioids.aspx

  • Data includes all opioid overdoses and people with Ottawa as their public health unit of residence.

 Data Table for Figure 12

Table 14. Total opioid overdose deaths in Ottawa from 2008 to 2017
YearCount of deathsRate of deaths
2008 14 1.6
2009 34 3.8
2010 22 2.4
2011 20 2.2
2012 19 2.1
2013 29 3.1
2014 30 3.2
2015 34 3.6
2016 40 4.1
2017 64 6.4

Figure 13. Total opioid overdose related deaths by age group and rates as counts per 100,000 population in Ottawa, 2017

 A line graph superimposed over a bar graph showing the count of all-intent opioid overdose deaths in Ottawa in 2008 to 2017

 Data Source and Notes for Figure 13

Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). Interactive Opioid Tool. Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer for Ontario; 2018. Available from: http://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/DataAndAnalytics/Opioids/Opioids.aspx

  • Data includes all opioid overdoses and people with Ottawa as their public health unit of residence.
  • The rates by age for a single year should be interpreted with caution because of low counts in some age groups.  
 Data Table for Figure 13
 
Table 15. Total opioid overdose related deaths by age group and rates as counts per 100,000 population in Ottawa, 2017
Age Group (in Years)Count of DeathsRate of Deaths (per 100,000 population)
0 to 14 1 0.6
15 to 24 7 5.4
25 to 44 25 8.6
45 to 64 28 10.5
65 and Older 3 2

Historical Drug Use Reports

Emergency Department Visits for Drug Overdoses in Ottawa, 2017

Picture of report on emergency department visits for drug overdoses in Ottawa

Problematic Substance Use in Ottawa, 2016

This report focuses on the prevalence of use, and the associated morbidity and mortality from the problematic use of illicit drugs, excluding cannabis, and of opioid prescription drugs used for non-medical purposes.

Problematic Substance Use in Ottawa - Technical Report [PDF 2.5 MB]

Drug Overdose Deaths in Ottawa, 2000-2015
Report: Drug Overdose Deaths in Ottawa, 2000-2015 [PDF 834 KB]
Overdose and HIV and Hepatitis C Infection Among People in Ottawa who use Drugs, 2014

This report provides epidemiologic information about the risk of overdose and HIV and HCV infection among people who use drugs.

Overdose and HIV and hepatitis C infection among people in Ottawa who use drugs - 2014 [PDF 369 KB]

References for Historical Drug Use Data

 References
  1.  Ottawa Public Health. Canadian Community Health Survey 2015/16. Ontario Share File. Statistics Canada.
  2. Ottawa Public Health. Public Health Monitoring of Risk Factors in Ontario – Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey 2017. Centre for Addictions and Mental Health
  3. Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario. [Extracted April 2018]
  4. Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). Interactive Opioid Tool. Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer for Ontario; 2018. Available from: http://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/DataAndAnalytics/Opioids/Opioids.aspx

 

 Alcohol - Historical Data and Reports

While the serious health and social impacts of illegal drug and non-medical prescription drug use is of concern, alcohol remains the most commonly misused substance in Ottawa. [1] When consumed in high quantities, alcohol use can lead to high-risk behaviours, injuries, and death. It can also contribute to a range of chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure, stroke and certain types of cancer. [2,3]

Alcohol-related health effects can be classified as acute or chronic:

  • Acute health effects are short-term such as alcohol poisoning (intoxication) and injuries.
  • Long-term alcohol use can lead to chronic health effects such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, liver disease, digestive problems, diabetes, mental health problems, cancer, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. [7,8] Most long-term health effects of alcohol use are related to the amount consumed. Mental illness and alcohol consumption are linked. Alcohol is a major risk factor for several mental illnesses; however, some mental illnesses precede heavy drinking. [9]

 

Youth Alcohol Consumption

First Use of Alcohol

  • Among Grade 9 to 12 Ottawa students in 2017, 23% reported using alcohol before Grade 9. [6]

Harmful Drinking Behaviour

  • In 2017, almost one in six (15%*) Grade 9 to 12 students in Ottawa reported getting drunk (i.e., had so much to drink that they could not do what they wanted to do or threw up) in the past four weeks. [6]
  • In 2017, one in ten (10%*) Grade 9 to 12 students in Ottawa reported drinking at a hazardous or harmful level, as determined by the AUDIT screen. [6]
  • Among Grade 9 to 12 students in Ottawa that had consumed alcohol in the past year, one in five (20%*) reported drinking at hazardous or harmful levels. [6]

Alcohol and Cannabis Co-use

  • In 2017, 18%* of Grade 9 to 12 students in Ottawa reported using alcohol and cannabis at the same time in the past year. [6]

Status of Alcohol in Ottawa: Let's Continue the Conversation, 2016

This report blends local epidemiological data on drinking and alcohol-related harms with local perspectives from the 2016 online "Have Your Say" alcohol survey in order to provide a complete picture of how alcohol affects our community.

Status of Alcohol in Ottawa: Let's Continue the Conversation, 2016 [PDF 7.7 MB]

References - Historical Data on Alcohol Use

  1. Ottawa Public Health. Problematic Substance Use in Ottawa: Technical Report. Ottawa, Ontario; 2016.

  2. Rehm J, Mathers C, Popova S, Thavorncharoensap M, Teerawattananon Y, Patra J. Global burden of disease and injury and economic cost attributable to alcohol use and alcohol-use disorders. Lancet. 2009;373(9682):2223-33.

  3. World Health Organization. Global status report on alcohol and health 2014. Geneva; 2014.

  4. Ottawa Public Health. Canadian Community Health Survey Ontario Share File 2015-2016. Statistics Canada. 

  5. Ottawa Public Health. Status of Alcohol in Ottawa: Let's Continue the Conversation. Ottawa, Ontario; 2016.

  6. Ottawa Public Health. Public Health Monitoring of Risk Factors in Ontario – Ontario Student Druge Use and Health Survey (2017), Centre for Addictions and Mental Health.
  7. Public Health Agency of Canada. The Chief Health Officer's Report on the State of Public Health in Canada 2015. Alcohol Consumption in Canada. Ottawa, Ontario 2016.

  8. Butt P, Beirness, G, Gliksman, L, Paradis, C, Stockwell, T. Alcohol and health in Canada: A summary of evidence and guidelines for low-risk drinking. An independent report prepared for the National Alcohol Strategy Advisory Committee and the Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse, Ottawa, Canada. 2010.

  9. Patel V, Flisher AJ, Hetrick S, McGorry P. Mental health of young people: a global public-health challenge. Lancet. 2007;369(9569):1302-13.

 Cannabis - Historical Data and Reports

As of October 17th, 2018, adults who are 19 years of age or older in Ontario can legally possess and purchase cannabis with some restrictions. Additional information about Ontario’s laws is available on the Government of Ontario's webpage on Cannabis Legalization.

Cannabis use has some health risks that are best avoided by abstaining from use. For individuals who choose to use cannabis, the Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines provide information on how to reduce health risks associated with cannabis use.

 

Cannabis use among Ottawa adults

Cannabis use for adults includes those who have used cannabis in the past 12 months while excluding those who have only used it once in their lifetime.

  • in 2015-16, cannabis use in Ottawa among those 19 years of age or older was slightly higher than the provincial average: 15% compared to 11%. [1]
  • Cannabis use was highest among men (20%) and young adults age 19 to 24 (33%) and those with a high school education as their highest educational attainment (25%) (Figure 1).
  • Ottawa residents with a mother tongue other than French or English had lower rates of cannabis use (5%). [1]

Figure 1. Cannabis use in Ottawa by subgroup (19 years of age or older), with the exception of the 12 to 18 age group, 2015-2016. 

 A horizontal bar graph showing prevalence estimate of cannabis use in the past 12 months by subgroups based on 2015-2016 data.

Data Source and Notes for Figure 1

Canadian Community Health Survey 2015-2016. MOHLTC Share File.

  • The Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) is an annual national population health survey conducted by Statistics Canada.
  • Error bars represent 95% confidence intervals
  • NR means not reportable due to high sampling variability
  • Asterisk means interpret with caution due to high sampling variability
Data Table for Figure 1
Table 1. Cannabis use in Ottawa by subgroup (19 years of age or older), with the exception of the 12 to 18 age group, 2015-2016
MeasurePrevalence of Cannabis Use in the Past 12 Months95% Confidence IntervalsInterpretation
Ottawa 14.7 2.1  
Ontario less Ottawa 11.1 0.6  
Men 19.9 3.5  
Women 9.7 2.5  
12 to 18 Years Old 12.1 8.2 Interpret with caution
19 to 24 Years Old 32.7 11.8 Interpret with caution
25 to 44 Years Old 24.2 4.9  
45 to 64 Years Old 5.8 2.3  
65 Years Old or Older Not reportable    
English 17.7 4  
French 18.1 6.7 Interpret with caution
Other 5.4 3.3 Interpret with caution
No High School  Not reportable 2.9  
High School  25.4 8 Interpret with caution
Postsecondary  12.3 2.6  
Cannabis use among Ottawa youth
  • In 2017, 18% of Ottawa students in Grades 7 to 12 reported using cannabis in the past year, which is similar to students in the rest of Ontario (19%). Use in the past year use has not significantly changed in Ottawa since 2009. [2]
  • Among students who’ve used cannabis: [2]
    • one-quarter (27%) first tried it before Grade 9,
    • half (50%) first tried it in Grade 9 or 10, and
    • one in five (21%) first tried it in Grade 11 or 12.
  • Just over 1/3 of Ottawa students in Grades 7 to 12 (34%) felt that getting cannabis would be easy or fairly easy. [2]
Are people more likely to use now that cannabis is legal?
  • Approximately 14% of adults who have not used cannabis in the past year are at least moderately likely to try cannabis post-legalization. [3]
  • Once legalized, 13% of Grade 9 to 12 students in Ottawa reported they would try cannabis. An additional 19% of Grade 9 to 12 students reported they would use it as often or more often than they currently do. [2]
What are the harms related to cannabis?

There are some harms associated with cannabis use.

  • The annual number and rate (per 100,000 population) of emergency department (ED) visits directly related to cannabis use has increased from 2008 to 2017 (Figure 2). 
  • Over 93% of cannabis-related ED visits are for mental and behavioural disorders. The frequency of cannabis-related mental and behavioural disorders by type of disorder are shown in Table 3.
  • These statistics do not represent the full health burden of cannabis. Harms secondary to cannabis use, such as injuries resulting from a car crash where the driver was impaired by cannabis can’t be identified from existing data.

Figure 2. Annual number of cannabis-related emergency department (ED) visits and rate as ED visits per 100,000 population for Ottawa residents from 2008 to 2017

 Figure 2A bar graph showing the number and population rate of cannabis-related emergency department visits between 2008 and 2016.

 Data Source and Notes for Figure 2
National Ambulatory Care Reporting System 2008-2017, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH ONTARIO, Date Extracted: Aug 2018. 
 Data Table for Figure 2
Table 2. Cannabis related emergency department visits as counts and rate per 100,000 population in Ottawa by calendar year, 2008 to 2017
Calendar CountRate
2008  202 23.2
2009 175 19.8
2010 209 23.2
2011 245 26.9
2012 281 30.4
2013 359 38.3
2014 505 53.3
2015 498 52.0
2016 654  67.2
2017 883 88.6

 

Table 3. Percent of cannabis-related mental and behavioural ED visits by diagnosis category from 2008 to 2017 in Ottawa
Diagnosis category*Percent of visits **
Acute intoxication 19%
Harmful use 55%
Dependence syndrome 10%
Withdrawal 3%
Psychotic disorder 8%
Other or unspecified disorders 5%
 Data Source and Notes for Table 3

National Ambulatory Care Reporting System 2008-2017, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH ONTARIO, Date Extracted: Aug 2018.

* Codes for some categories are combined (e.g. withdrawal and withdrawal delirium)

** Codes used less than 1% of the time are not included

 

How are people using cannabis?

  • Ottawa level data on methods and practices is not currently available
  • Canadian data shows the main methods of consumption were [5]:
    • smoking (94%),
    • eating in food (34%),
    • vaporizing using a vape pen (20%), and
    • vaporizing using a vaporizer (14%).

People's perception of smoking or using edible cannabis

  • In Ottawa, 63% of those who had used cannabis in the past 12 months thought that the effects are felt more quickly when cannabis is smoked as compared to eaten (63%). This drops to 43% among those who have used cannabis in the past but haven’t used it in the past 12 months. Over half of those who have never used cannabis (58%) were not sure. [3]

  • In Ottawa, 84% of those who had used cannabis in the past 12 months thought that smoking cigarettes was more harmful than smoking cannabis (84%). Those who used before but not in the past year were less likely to think this (62%) as were those who have never used (42%). [3]

Cannabis and potency

  • There is no population health data about how people choose cannabis products or how things like potency may influence choices. The source people choose (e.g. home grown, retail cannabis) may be important for potency considerations. 

Cannabis availability and access

  • Just over one-third (34%) of Ottawa students in Grades 7 to 12 think cannabis would be fairly easy or very easy to get if they wanted some. [2]
  • Perceived ease of availability increased with increasing age: 14%* of Grade 7 to 8 students, 30% of Grade 9 to 10 students, and 63% of Grade 11 to 12 students think cannabis would be fairly easy or very easy to get. [2]
  • Almost half (44%) of Grade 7 to 12 students who used cannabis in the past year reported that it was given to or shared with them by a friend, sibling or parent. [2]
  • Canadian data shows that about 36% adults tend to get cannabis from friend or family. [5]


*Interpret with caution due to high sampling variability

Frequency and intensity of cannabis use

Frequent (i.e., daily or near daily) use can increase the likelihood of negative health effects, particularly mental health problems, dependence, and changes to brain growth and development prior to 25 years of age.

  • Just over a third of Ottawa residents (36%) who used cannabis in the past year report using it weekly or more, 19% use it between 1 to 3 times a month and 44% report using it less than once a month. [1]
  • Among Grade 9-12 students, 11% report using cannabis more than 10 times in the 12 months prior to the survey. [2]

Cannabis and driving

  • The risk of accident involvement and driving-related injuries or death is two to three times higher among cannabis-impaired compared with non-impaired drivers. The risk is even higher if cannabis and alcohol are used together. [6]
  • One in ten Grade 7 to 12 students (11%) have ridden in a vehicle at least once in the past year when the driver had been using drugs. [2]
  • In Canada, 14% of cannabis users with a valid driver's license said they had driven within two hours of use. This increases to 23% for drivers who used cannabis daily or weekly. [5
  • In Ottawa, 84% of those who used cannabis in the past year felt that cannabis use impairs one’s ability to operate a motor vehicle. [3]

Special risk populations 

People with a history or family history of psychosis or substance use disorders have higher or distinct risks for cannabis-related health problems. [6]

  • Ottawa residents who self-report a mood or anxiety disorder were just over twice as likely to have used cannabis in the past 12 months compared to those not reporting such a disorder: 27% versus 12% [1]. This does not imply causation, but that a group that may be vulnerable appears to be using cannabis.
  • Current evidence demonstrates that cannabis can cross the placenta and is found in breast milk [7], so pregnant or breastfeeding women should avoid using cannabis. [6]

References for Historical Cannabis Use Data

  1. Canadian Community Health Survey 2015-2016, Statistics Canada, Share File, Ontario MOHLTC.
  2. Ottawa Public Health. Public Health Monitoring of Risk Factors in Ontario-OSDUHS (2017). Centre for Addiction and Mental Health; 2018.Survey of Ottawa Residents of Health Risks of Cannabis. EKOS Research Associates Inc. January 4, 2018
  3. Survey of Ottawa Residents of Health Risks of Cannabis. EKOS Research Associates Inc. January 4, 2018
  4. National Ambulatory Care Reporting System 2008-2017, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH ONTARIO, Date Extracted: Aug 2018
  5. The Canadian Cannabis Survey. Health Canada 2017. Summary available from:  https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/drugs-health-products/canadian-cannabis-survey-2017-summary.html
  6. Fischer, B., Russell, C., Sabioni, P., van den Brink, W., Le Foll, B., Hall, W., Rehm, J. & Room, R. (2017). Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines (LRCUG): An evidence-based update. American Journal of Public Health, 107(8). DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2017.303818
  7. Metz TD, Borgelt LM. Marijuana Use in Pregnancy and While Breastfeeding. Obstet Gynecol. 2018 Sep 18. [Epub ahead of print]

Tobacco, Waterpipes, and E-cigarettes - Historical Data and Reports

Tobacco Use

This section includes historical data on the prevalence of tobacco-related behaviours, morbidity and mortality related to tobacco-related behaviours, and exposure to second-hand smoke.

Adult Smoking

Current Smoking Trends Over Time

Current smoking includes those aged 19 and older that have used at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and currently smoke tobacco.

  • In 2015-2016, 15% of Ottawa residents aged 19 and older were current smokers. This estimate was significantly lower than Ontario-less-Ottawa (17%). [1]
  • Current smoking rates in Ottawa have declined since the early 2000’s (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Percentage of current smokers aged 19 years and older in Ottawa and Ontario-less-Ottawa, from 2001 to 2016 

Line chart with the estimates of current smokers age 19 and older by year in Ottawa from 2001 to 2016

Data Source and Notes for Figure 1

Ottawa Public Health. Canadian Community Health Survey, 2001-2016, Ontario Share File, Statistics Canada

  • The Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) is an annual national population health survey conducted by Statistics Canada.
  • In 2015, Statistics Canada changed the design, methodology and questionnaire of the CCHS. As a result of the changes from the 2015 redesign, caution should be taken when comparing estimates to previous years.
  • The vertical dashed line on the right represents the change in CCHS sampling methods.
  • Error bars represent 95% confidence intervals.
 Data Table for Figure 1
Table 1. Percentage of current smokers aged 19 years and older in Ottawa and Ontario-less-Ottawa, from 2001 to 2016
Measure

2001 (%)

2003 (%)2005 (%)2007-2008 (%)2009-2010 (%)2011-2012 (%)2013-2014 (%)2015-2016 (%)
Current Smoking in Ottawa 22.1 20.3 20.5 18.4 16.4 16.6 16.8 14.6
Current Smoking in Ottawa 95% Confidence Interval 2.3 2.7 2.6 2.6 2.9 2.9 2.7 2.9
Current Smoking in Ontario-less-Ottawa 26.1 23.8 22.4 22.2 20.6 20.5 19.1 17.1
Current Smoking in Ontario-less-Ottawa 95% Confidence Interval 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.8

Current Smoking Trends by Socio-demographics

  • In Ottawa, current smoking prevalence is higher among those (Figure 2):
    • between the ages of 19 and 24 (18%*);
    • with French as a mother tongue (20%*);
    • with lower levels of education (22%*); and
    • with lower income (26%*).

Figure 2. Percentage of current smokers aged 19 years and older by selected socio-demographic indicators in Ottawa in 2015/16. Only the 12 to 18 year age group includes those under 19 years of age. 

Horizontal bar chart of percentage of current smokers aged 19 years and older by demographic subgroups in Ottawa from 2015 to 2016.

 Data Source and Notes for Figure 2
Ottawa Public Health. Canadian Community Health Survey, 2001 to 2016, Ontario Share File, Statistics Canada
  • The Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) is an annual national population health survey conducted by Statistics Canada.
  • Error bars represent 95% confidence intervals.
  • *Interpret with caution - high sampling variability.
  • NR = Data are not reportable.
  • Household income quintile (Q1 to Q5) is a measure of household income relative to all other survey respondents in Ottawa, adjusted for household size. A respondent in Q1 would be in the lowest 20% of household incomes and a respondent in Q5 would be in the highest 20% of household incomes.
 Data Table for Figure 2
Table 2. Percentage of current smokers aged 19 years and older by selected socio-demographic indicators in Ottawa in 2015/16. Only the 12-18 age group includes those under 19 years of age.
MeasureEstimate (%)95% Confidence IntervalInterpretation
Ottawa Prevalence 14.6 2.9  
Ontario-less-Ottawa Prevalence 17.1 0.8  
12 to 18 Years     Not reportable
19 to 24 Years 18.1 9.4 Interpret with caution
25 to 44 Years 16.4 5 Interpret with caution
45 to 64 Years 15.5 4.8 Interpret with caution
65 Years and Older 6.9 3.3 Interpret with caution
Mother Tongue is English 13.6 3.4 Interpret with caution
Mother Tongue is French 20.2 7 Interpret with caution
Mother Tongue is a Language Other than English or French 7.9 3.7 Interpret with caution
Income Quintile 1 (Lowest Income) 25.8 7.8 Interpret with caution
Income Quintile 2 14.1 6.8 Interpret with caution
Income Quintile 3 19.2 6.5 Interpret with caution
Income Quintile 4 10.2 4.6 Interpret with caution
Income Quintile 5 (Highest Income) 5 3.2 Interpret with caution
Highest Educational Attainment is Less than High School 21.6 10.5 Interpret with caution
Highest Educational Attainment is High School 23.1 8.3 Interpret with caution
Highest Educational Attainment is Postsecondary 12 3.1 Interpret with caution
Not an immigrant 15.7 3.3  
Immigrated Less than 10 Years Ago     Not reportable
Immigrated More than 10 Years Ago 7.2 4.2 Interpret with caution

Daily Smoking Trends Over Time

  • An estimated 10% of the Ottawa population aged 19 and over smoke tobacco daily. Daily smoking rates in Ottawa and Ontario-less-Ottawa have decreased since the early 2000’s (Figure 3).
  • Daily smoking is highest among those in the lowest income category and among those without post-secondary education (Figure 4).

Figure 3. Percentage of daily smokers aged 19 years and older in Ottawa and Ontario-less-Ottawa, from 2001 to 2016

Line chart with the estimates of daily smokers age 19 and older by year in Ottawa from 2001 to 2016

 Data Source and Notes for Figure 3
Ottawa Public Health. Canadian Community Health Survey 2001 to 2016. Ontario Share File. Statistics Canada.
  • The Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) is an annual national population health survey conducted by Statistics Canada.
  • In 2015, Statistics Canada changed the design, methodology and questionnaire of the CCHS. As a result of the changes from the 2015 redesign, caution should be taken when comparing estimates to previous years.
  • The vertical dashed line on the right represents the change in CCHS sampling methods.
  • Error bars represent 95% confidence intervals.
 Data Table for Figure 3
Table 3. Percentage of daily smokers aged 19 years and over in Ottawa and Ontario-less-Ottawa, from 2001 to 2016
 Measure2001 (%)2003 (%)2005 (%)2007-2008 (%)2009-2010 (%)2011-2012 (%)2013-2014 (%)2015-2016 (%)
Ottawa 18.2 14.8 14.4 13.2 10.5 11 11.7 9.8
Ottawa 95% Confidence Interval 2.3 2.3 2.1 2.4 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.4
Ontario-less-Ottawa 21.7 18.4 17.4 18 16 15.6 14.4 12.7
Ontario-less-Ottawa 95% Confidence Interval 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.6

Daily Smoking by Socio-demographics

 Figure 4. Percentage of daily smokers aged 19 years and older by selected socio-demographic indicators in Ottawa in 2015/16. Only the 12 to 18 year age group includes those under 19 years of age.

Bar chart of daily smoking prevalence for those aged 19 and older by demographic subgroups in Ottawa in 2015/2016. Only the 12-18 age group includes those under 19 years of age.

 Data Source and Notes for Figure 4

Ottawa Public Health. Canadian Community Health Survey 2001 to 2016. Ontario Share File. Statistics Canada.

  • The Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) is an annual national population health survey conducted by Statistics Canada.
  • Vertical solid lines represent 95% confidence intervals.
  • *Interpret with caution - high sampling variability.
  • NR = Data are not reportable.
  • Household income quintile (Q1 to Q5) is a measure of household income relative to all other survey respondents in Ottawa, adjusted for household size. A respondent in Q1 would be in the lowest 20% of household incomes and a respondent in Q5 would be in the highest 20% of household incomes.
 Data Table for Figure 4
Table 4. Percentage of daily smokers aged 19 years and older by selected socio-demographic indicators in Ottawa in 2015-2016. Only the 12 to 18 year age group includes those under 19 years of age.
Socio-demographic IndicatorEstimate (%)95% Confidence IntervalInterpretation
Ottawa Prevalence 9.8 2.4  
Ontario-less-Ottawa Prevalence 12.4 0.7  
12 to 18 Years     Not reportable
19 to 24 Years     Not reportable
25 to 44 Years 9.6 4.3 Interpret with caution
45 to 64 Years 12.3 4.3 Interpret with caution
65+ Years 6.3 3.2 Interpret with caution
Mother Tongue is English 8.1 2.3  
Mother Tongue is French 13.1 5.9 Interpret with caution
Mother Tongue is a Language Other than English or French 5.7 3.3 Interpret with caution
Income Quintile 1 (Lowest Income) 20.5 7.8 Interpret with caution
Income Quintile 2 9 4.9 Interpret with caution
Income Quintile 3 9.5 5.2 Interpret with caution
Income Quintile 4 7.4 4.4 Interpret with caution
Income Quintile 5 (Highest Income)     Not reportable
Highest Educational Attainment is Less than high school 19.2 10.4 Interpret with caution
Highest Educational Attainment is High school 15.6 7.6 Interpret with caution
Highest Educational Attainment is Postsecondary 7.7 2.3 Interpret with caution

Youth Smoking

This section describes cigarette use and access to tobacco among youth in Ottawa.

Use of cigarettes

  • Among Grade 7 to 12 students [2]:
    • 6% reported smoking one or more cigarette in the past year;
    • 4% were former smokers;
    • 4% had tried a few puffs to one whole cigarette in the past year; and
    • 87% had never smoked.
  • Elementary students (Grades 7 and 8) were significantly more likely to report having never used cigarettes in the past year (97%) compared to students in high school (83%). [2]

Ease of acquiring cigarettes

Students in Grades 7 to 12 were asked how easy they felt it would be to get cigarettes if they wanted them.

  • 43% percent of students reported that they felt it would be very to fairly easy to get cigarettes. An additional 29% reported that it would be fairly difficult to impossible and 27% did not know. [2]
  • High school students (Grades 9 to 12) (53%) were more likely than elementary students (Grades 7 to 8) (26%) to say that it would be very to fairly easy to get cigarettes. [2]
  • Students who identified as immigrants were less likely to feel that it would be easy to get cigarettes compared (30%) to non-immigrant students (48%). [2]

Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke

Public Places

  • In Ottawa, 15% of the population aged 12 years and older who are not daily smokers reported regular exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in public places. This estimate is not significantly different from Ontario-less-Ottawa (16%). [1]

Workplaces and Schools

  • In Ottawa, 15% of the population aged 12 years and older who are not daily smokers reported regular exposure to ETS at work or school. This is not significantly different from Ontario-less-Ottawa (16%). [1]
  • 14% of Ottawa students in Grades 7 to 12 are regularly (4 or more days a week) exposed to other people’s tobacco smoke. [2]
    • Students in Grades 9 to 12 (17%) were more likely than students in Grades 7 and 8 (9%) to be exposed to seconhand smoke. [2]

Vehicles

  • 3% of the Ottawa population aged 12 years and up who are not daily smokers reported being regularly exposed to ETS in vehicles. [1]

Smoke-free Homes

  • In Ottawa, 92% of homes are completely smoke free. This is higher than Ontario-less-Ottawa for which 90% of homes are completely smoke free. [1]

Health Burden of Smoking

Health burden is measured based on a 5 year average and uses multiple data sources. [3,4,5]
  • Smoking is responsible for an estimated 916 deaths per year in Ottawa.
    • 866 deaths (17% of deaths from any cause) are attributable to current or former cigarette smoking among adults aged 35 years and older and
    • 50 deaths (1% of deaths from any cause) are attributable to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure in residents aged 15 years and older. 
    • Cancer accounts for 50% of smoking-attributable mortality (SAM) among current or former smokers, while cardiovascular disease accounts for 29% of SAM, and respiratory disease accounts for 21% of SAM.
  • There are an estimated 3,020 acute hospitalizations per year in Ottawa attributable to smoking.
    • 2,942 hospitalizations are attributable to current or former cigarette smoking
    • 118 hospitalizations are attributable to environmental tobacco smoke exposure among residents.
  • Hospitalization costs amounted to an average of $32.7 million per year for smoking-attributable hospitalizations of Ottawa residents from 2008 to 2012.
    • $31.1 million for current or former smokers
    • $1.6 million for non-smokers regularly exposed to ETS.

Waterpipe Use

Smoking tobacco using a waterpipe (also called a hookah or sheesha) is increasing in prevalence worldwide. The misconception that waterpipe smoking is safer than other forms of tobacco use may lead users to underestimate health risks. [6]

Waterpipe Use Among Adults

Waterpipe Used at Least Once - Adults (18 years and older)

  • In 2017, 26% of adults in Ottawa had used a waterpipe at some point in their life to smoke tobacco or non-tobacco herbal products. [7] Waterpipe use at least once in a lifetime was highest among men and those aged 18 to 24 years (Figure 5).
  • Among Ottawa adults that had used a waterpipe in their lifetime [7]:
    • 38% had used tobacco only;
    • 36% had used herbal products only; and
    • 26% had used both tobacco and herbal products.
  • In 2017, 4%* of adults in Ottawa that had never used a waterpipe reported having seriously thought about smoking a waterpipe. [7]

Figure 5. Percentage of adults aged 18 years and older who used a waterpipe at least once in their lifetime by selected socio-demographic indicators in Ottawa in 2017. 

Bar graph showing lifetime waterpipe use by subgroup.

 

 Data Source and Notes for Figure 5

Ottawa Public Health. Rapid Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2017.

Vertical bars represent 95% confidence intervals.

* Interpret with caution due to high sampling variability

 Data Table for Figure 5
Table 5. Lifetime waterpipe use among those 18 and older by subgroups in Ottawa, 2017

Measure

Estimate (%)

95% confidence interval

Interpretation

2017

25.8

3.2

 

Male

34.1

4.9

 

Female

17.9

4.2

 

18 to 24 Years of Age

49.6

14.2

 

25 to 44 Years of Age

37.8

6.7

 

45 to 64 Years of Age

16.2

3.8

 

65+ Years of Age

6.8

2.8

Interpret with caution

Waterpipe Use in the Past 12 months – Adults (18 years and older)

  • In 2017, 6%* of Ottawa adults had used a waterpipe in the past 12 months to smoke tobacco or non-tobacco herbal products. [7] This is not different than the estimate for Ontario (including Ottawa). [8
  • Use is highest among young adults aged 18 to 24 at 28%. [7]
  • Ottawa adults reported using a waterpipe in the past 12 months at the following locations (no other locations are reportable due to high sampling variability)[7]:
    • restaurant, bar, or club (43%*);
    • at home (41%*); and
    • someone else’s home (35%*).
  • Of Ottawa adults that had used a waterpipe in the past 12 months, 78% used the waterpipe once a month or less and 22%* used the waterpipe more than once a month. [7]
  • Of those who have used a waterpipe in the past 12 months, 58%* always or sometimes shared a mouthpiece. [7]

Waterpipe Use Among Youth

Waterpipe Use at Least Once – Youth (Grades 7 to 12)

  • In 2017, 14%* of grade 7 to 12 students in Ottawa had used a waterpipe at some point in their life. [2] This is not different from Ontario-less-Ottawa.

Waterpipe Use in the Past 12 Months – Youth (Grades 7 to 12)

  • In 2017, 9%* of grade 7 to 12 students in Ottawa had used a waterpipe in the past 12 months. [2] This is not different from Ontario-less-Ottawa.
  • Of grade 7 to 12 students in Ottawa that had used a waterpipe in the past 12 months, 7%* had experimented (i.e., used a few times or less) while 5%* were current users (i.e., at least once a month). [2]

Perception of Risk and Waterpipe Use – Youth (Grades 7 to 12)

  • The percent of Grade 7 to 12 students that felt smoking a waterpipe presented a physical risk to the user by risk level [2] was:
    • 43% medium to high risk to user;
    • 23% no or slight risk to user; and
    • 32% unsure of risk to user. 

E-cigarette Use

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are battery-powered devices that vaporise the liquid contents of a cartridge. The user then inhales the vapour.

Adult E-cigarette use

  • E-cigarette use in Ottawa among those aged 19 and over is 12% for use in their lifetime, 8%* for use in the past 12 months and 2%* for use in the past month. [7] This is not different from the Ontario population aged 18 and older (including Ottawa). [8]
  • Just over half of those who used e-cigarettes in the past 12 months are current smokers (56%*). Of current smokers, 39% reported using an e-cigarette in the past 12 months. [7]

Motives for use

  • Of those who used an e-cigarette in their lifetime, most of their use appears to be related to smoking cessation [7]:
    • 42% used e-cigarettes to help quit smoking,
    • 13%* to try to cut back on the amount of cigarettes.
  • In 2017, 12%* used e-cigarettes out of curiosity, down from 40% in 2016.

Beliefs about risk

  • When asked about their beliefs about the risks of using e-cigarettes [7]:

    • 66% of Ottawa residents aged 19 and over feel that it present a high to medium health risk;

    • 15% feel that it presents low or no risk; and

    • 19% are unsure of the risk

  • Those that used an e-cigarette in the past 12 months were nearly three times as likely as non-users to say that e-cigarettes represented low or no risk (35% versus 13%). [7]

Youth and E-cigarettes

  • One in ten (10.1%* (95% CI: 6.2% to 16.3%)) high school students (grade 7 to 12) had used an e-cigarette at least once in the past 12 months. [2] This is not different from Ontario-less-Ottawa.
  • 48% of Grade 9-12 students felt that e-cigarettes present no or a slight risk of physical harm with regular use. [2]

 Tobacco Reports

A Review of Tobacco Indicators 2012

The purpose of this report is to highlight important trends in tobacco in the population to support Ottawa Public Health (OPH) and its partners address strategic and operation decisions. The report portrays a current view of the prevalence of tobacco-related behaviours and the inevitable morbidity and mortality and cost attributable to tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke.
Review of Tobacco Indicators report [PDF 657 KB]

References

References

  1. Ottawa Public Health. Canadian Community Health Survey 2015/16. Ontario Share File. Statistics Canada
  2. Ottawa Public Health. Public Health Monitoring of Risk Factors in Ontario – Ontario Student Druge Use and Health Survey 2017. Centre for Addictions and Mental Health

  3. Ottawa Public Health. Canadian Community Health Survey 2008 to 2012. Ontario Share File. Statistics Canada
  4. Ontario Mortality Data 2008 to 2012, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH ONTARIO, Date extracted: January 2017 
  5. National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS) 2013 to 2015. Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC): IntelliHEALTH ONTARIO, Date Extracted: January 2017 
  6. Cobb C,Ward KD, Maziak W, Shihadeh,AL, Eissenberg T. Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking: An Emerging Health Crisis in the United States. American Journal of Health Behavior, Volume 34, Number 3, May 2010 , pp. 275-285(11)
  7. Ottawa Public Health. Rapid Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2017.
  8. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Monitor (Full Year), 2016.

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