4.2% of all Canadians (1.3 million) are addicted to alcohol or suffer from serious problems related to alcohol abuse. This only includes those exhibiting behaviors consistent with alcoholism. Including those who have not progressed far enough in their disease to be counted the actual number is much higher … possibly triple.
660,000 Canadian children under the age of 18 years live in households with at least one alcoholic parent.
More than 50% of Canada’s senior elementary and high school students drink alcoholic beverages.
83% of Ontario students in grade 12 drink alcohol. 49% of gr. 12 students admit to binge drinking.
43% of college students are binge drinkers. 81% of those living in residence on campus are binge drinkers.
52% of all college students who are victims of campus crimes said they were under the influence when it happened.
47% of people admitted to hospital emergency rooms have positive blood alcohol levels.
Canadians drink more than 50% above the global average.
A heavy drinker is:
Twice as likely to die of heart disease;
Twice as likely to die of cancer;
Twelve times more likely to die of cirrhosis of the liver;
Three times more likely to die in a road traffic accident;
Six times more likely to commit suicide.
Alcohol accounts for 8% of all deaths in Canada (under 70 years old) and 7% of all hospital stays … an $8 billion cost to our health care system.
THE CAUSE OF IT ALL … ALCOHOL OR OTHER DRUGS
Even though the death certificate may say:
Broken neck – fell off ladder.
Multiple injuries – car crash (other driver at fault)
Drowned – ski doo went through ice.
Suicide – by hanging.
Hepatitis – cirrhosis of the liver.
The root problem was substance abuse.