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This paper examines trends in the prevalence of drug use among Canadian adolescent students during the past decade. Canadian surveys clearly show a dominant pattern of declining drug use during the 1977 to 1980 period. Several issues regarding these findings are discussed, including reasons for declining use and the future of drug use among Canadian adolescents.

The purpose of this paper is to describe cross-national differences in drug use and violence among three sites that vary in social and political culture and drug use policies—Philadelphia, Toronto, and Amsterdam. The DAVI (Drugs, Alcohol and Violence International) study is based on personal interviews with 1,120 adolescents aged 14 to 17 years from three sites and two samples (550 detainees and 570 dropouts). Seven drug use outcomes and three violence outcomes were compared across sites. We found that site differences were dominant. Only two of 10 outcomes (cannabis onset and relative drug-related violence) were not significantly related to site as a main effect or through an interaction. The most common site differences showed that the Toronto samples reported higher rates of drug use than Philadelphia and Amsterdam. Our findings indicate that drug taking behavior transcends geopolitical boundaries and that there is no clear evidence that rates of drug use are related to policy climate.

O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar as perspectivas dos familiares e pessoas próximas sobre fatores protetores para o uso de drogas ilícitas, em um centro de saúde em Guayaquil. Estudo descritivo, transversal, que utilizou questionário em amostra composta por 100 indivíduos. Os dados foram obtidos a partir das pessoas que têm um familiar ou amigo que usa drogas. Os resultados mostram que dos fatores pessoais e familiares que podem proteger contra o uso de drogas estão: 97% declararam que é possuir sólidos princípios morais, 96% expressar suas emoções, 98% dedicar tempo à família, 95% ter relação de apoio com um dos pais. Na comunidade, estão de acordo com a necessidade de ter um governo que entenda esse problema, 99% apontam para a necessidade da existência de policiais honestos e 99% programas que protejam as pessoas do uso de droga e instituições empenhadas na prevenção. Família, comunidade e a decisão pessoal têm influência e devem ser envolvidos, portanto, mostra-se a importância de se trabalhar para reforçar os fatores protetores e assim reduzir o número de pessoas adictas. ; La finalidad de este estudio fue determinar la perspectiva crítica que los familiares tienen sobre los factores de protección, en el uso de drogas ilícitas en un centro de salud de Guayaquil. Se trata de un estudio descriptivo y transversal, en el que se utilizó un cuestionario para entrevistar a 100 informantes. Se obtuvieron datos de personas que tienen un familiar o amigo que usa drogas ilícitas. Los resultados demostraron que las características personales y familiares que protegen al usuario de drogas ilícitas fueron: 97% tener sólidos principios morales; 96% expresar sentimientos y emociones; 98% tiempo que la familia dedica a estar reunidos, 95% relación de apoyo por parte de uno los padres, 100% existencia de un gobierno que considere a las drogas como prioridad, 99% una fuerza policial más honesta, 99% crear programas e instituciones dedicadas a la prevención. Se concluye que se deben desarrollar estrategias de prevención para el individuo, la familia y la comunidad. ; The objective of this study was to determine the perspectives of drug users' relatives and acquaintances about protective factors for illicit drug use at a health center in Guayaquil. This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study. Data collection was performed through interviews using a questionnaire. Interviews were performed with 100 people who knew a drug user (relative or friend). The results showed that the following personal and family factors could be protective: 97% having solid moral principles, 96% express their feelings, 98% dedicate time for the family, and 95 % have a supportive relationship with one of the parents. Regarding the community, all participants (100%) agree there is a need for a government that understands this issue, 99% refer there should be honest policemen, and 99% state the need for programs that protect people from drug use and institutions that work with prevention. Family, community and personal decisions have effects on becoming involved, hence the need to reinforce protective factors and thus reduce the number of addicted individuals.

OBJECTIVES: Public health concern about increasing levels of child/youth overweight and obesity has resulted in initiatives to address this issue. In 2012, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) established a target to reduce childhood obesity by 20% within five years. In this paper, we examine trends and establish baseline levels of overweight/obesity to assess the impacts of population-level interventions. METHODS: We analyzed 10 years (2003–2013) of data accumulated from six cycles of the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey using logistic regression to assess trends in the prevalence of overweight/obesity among middle and high school students. The 2013 data are used to begin monitoring progress toward achieving the MOHLTC target. RESULTS: From 2003 through 2013, the prevalence of overweight/obesity among middle school students in the province remained stable overall and among all subgroups except 7th-grade females, who showed a significant linear decline. Among high school students, the prevalence of overweight/obesity showed a significant linear increase and an increase among 11th graders, females, and 10th- and 11th-grade females specifically. The prevalence remained stable but elevated among 9th- and 12th-grade females as well as among males in all grades. In 2013 (baseline for the MOHLTC target), 25.1% of students in grades 7–12 were overweight or obese, implying a presumed 2018 target of 20.1%. CONCLUSION: Ten-year trends in overweight/obesity indicate stability among males and significant linear increases in some female subgroups. Also, baseline data (2013) will facilitate the monitoring of future interventions aimed at achieving the 2018 MOHLTC target.