Looking for education on opioids, training opportunities, or support?
Educational Resources
PreventionCoalition is an informational site designed to educate parents, teachers and concerned community members about teen drug use and ways to prevent it.
College Drinking – Changing the Culture – This is a one-stop resource for comprehensive research-based information on issues related to alcohol abuse and binge drinking among college students.
DrugSafe is a trusted source for Albertans to find vital information on reducing the harm of alcohol and other drugs.
Child and Youth Addiction and Mental Health offers a wide range of resources about wellness, mental health conditions, and supports for young people.
The International Journal of Alcoholics Anonymous – Monthly magazine with stories about how members stay sober.
The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), has developed 2 toolkits to support people who have been impacted by suicide. One toolkit is tailored for people who have attempted suicide , and the other is focused on resources for people who have lost someone to suicide
Dr. Gabor Mate is a world-renowned addictionologist from Vancouver, Canada. This video is arguably the best description of how addiction happens and, although lengthy, it will help you understand what your loved one is up against in regards to the addiction. Dr. Mate also has a book, “In the Realm of the Hungry Ghosts,” that is a must-read for substance users and their families.
Training Opportunities
Understanding Addiction is an online learning program (CMHA-BC) that seeks to equip non-specialist workers and volunteers with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to confidently help people who face challenges with substance use and addiction. The goal of this course is to ensure that anyone in a “helping role” will be able to foster healthy relationships and build supportive environments. (Course fee: $157.50 per person)
The Canadian Red Cross offers this free, self-directed online course to become knowledgeable and confident in how to respond to an opioid poisoning emergency, including how to administer nasal naloxone. You will learn more about opioids and naloxone and how they affect the body and explore ways to reduce the influence of stigma.
Upon completion of the course, you will be eligible to receive a free nasal naloxone kit (shipped anywhere in Canada, excluding Quebec)
St. John’s Ambulance provides free opioid and nasal naloxone training, as well as nasal naloxone kits, to individuals and communities that are struggling to manage opioid poisonings
The Addiction Care and Treatment Online Course (ACTOC) is a comprehensive 22-module online course for health care providers who diagnose and treat patients with substance use disorders using evidence-based treatments along a continuum of care.
Although this course is targeted towards health care providers, it is open to the general public. Anyone interested in learning about substance use disorders is encouraged to register for this course.
The Provincial Addiction & Mental Health Curricula & Experiential Skills (PACES) Training provides accessible, self-paced, and personalized Addiction & Mental Health education for all skill levels through e-learning modules, educational videos, simulated patient scenarios, and virtual skill-building sessions.
The free online Brain Story Certification is designed for those seeking a deeper understanding of brain development and its connection to addiction and mental health.
Substance Use Information
Opioids
Codeine is the most commonly used opioid medication in Canada. It is used to relieve cough and mild to moderate pain but it is addictive when used in high doses and used over a long period of time. The more you use codeine, the more your health is affected. Learn More
Opioids (Canadian Drug Summary)
Summarizes data on the use of opioids, including the medical and nonmedical use, effects and legal status. The rate of deaths due to opioid toxicity increased by 91 per cent during the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of those deaths involve opioids that were nonpharmaceutical in origin and often involve other substances.
Fentanyl is a very potent opioid pain reliever. A few grains can be enough to kill you. Fentanyl is usually used in a hospital setting. A doctor can also prescribe it to help control severe pain.
Illegal fentanyl and other fentanyl-like drugs, such as carfentanil, are also increasingly being found in other illegal drugs, like heroin. People may be unaware that the drug they are taking is contaminated with fentanyl, which is much more potent.
Fentanyl is a dangerous drug because:
- It is 20 to 40 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. This makes the risk of accidental overdose very high.
- It is odourless and tasteless. You may not even know you are taking it.
- It can be mixed with other drugs such as heroin and cocaine. It is also being found in counterfeit pills that are made to look like prescription opioids.
Opioids (Canadian Drug Summary)
Summarizes data on the use of opioids, including the medical and nonmedical use, effects and legal status. The rate of deaths due to opioid toxicity increased by 91 per cent during the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of those deaths involve opioids that were nonpharmaceutical in origin and often involve other substances.
Heroin is made from morphine, a substance that comes from the opium poppy. It is highly addictive. The withdrawal symptoms can be painful. An overdose can be fatal.
In its pure form, heroin is a fine, white, bitter-tasting powder that dissolves in water. When it is sold on the street, its colour and consistency vary depending on how it is made and what additives it has been “cut” with. Street heroin may come in the form of a white powder, a brown and sometimes grainy substance or a dark brown sticky gum. The purity of heroin varies from batch to batch. Learn More
Opioids (Canadian Drug Summary)
Summarizes data on the use of opioids, including the medical and nonmedical use, effects and legal status. The rate of deaths due to opioid toxicity increased by 91 per cent during the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of those deaths involve opioids that were nonpharmaceutical in origin and often involve other substances.
Opioids (Canadian Drug Summary)
Summarizes data on the use of opioids, including the medical and nonmedical use, effects and legal status. The rate of deaths due to opioid toxicity increased by 91 per cent during the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of those deaths involve opioids that were nonpharmaceutical in origin and often involve other substances.
Opioids (Canadian Drug Summary)
Summarizes data on the use of opioids, including the medical and nonmedical use, effects and legal status. The rate of deaths due to opioid toxicity increased by 91 per cent during the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of those deaths involve opioids that were nonpharmaceutical in origin and often involve other substances.
Opioids (Canadian Drug Summary)
Summarizes data on the use of opioids, including the medical and nonmedical use, effects and legal status. The rate of deaths due to opioid toxicity increased by 91 per cent during the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of those deaths involve opioids that were nonpharmaceutical in origin and often involve other substances.
Opioids (Canadian Drug Summary)
Summarizes data on the use of opioids, including the medical and nonmedical use, effects and legal status. The rate of deaths due to opioid toxicity increased by 91 per cent during the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of those deaths involve opioids that were nonpharmaceutical in origin and often involve other substances.
Common Drugs
Alcohol is the most used substance in Canada, but did you know that the consumption of alcohol carries a risk of adverse health and social consequences related to its intoxicating, toxic and dependence-producing properties? Learn More
Alcohol (Canadian Drug Summary)
Summarizes data on the use and risky use of alcohol, including information on drinking patterns, effects on youth and older adults, legal status, costs and impact on health care.
Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health: Final Report
This report provides people in Canada with accurate and current information about the risk of harms associated with the consumption of alcohol.
Cannabis is the second most commonly used substance in Canada, after alcohol. On October 17, 2018, Canada became the second country in the world to legalize and regulate the sale and use of cannabis and cannabis products. Understanding the impacts of cannabis is essential to minimize the risks and harms and to maximize the benefits of its use. Learn More
Cannabis (Canadian Drug Summary)
Provides an overview of key data and information about cannabis before and after legalization and regulation, as well as on new classes of legalized cannabis (e.g., edibles). The summary includes data on the associated harms from cannabis use, medical versus non-medical use, vaping, hospitalizations, treatment, costs, driving under the influence, workplace-related concerns and other issues.
Caffeine is the world’s most popular drug. Caffeine occurs naturally in products such as coffee, tea, chocolate and cola soft drinks, and is added to a variety of prescription and over-the-counter medications, including cough, cold and pain remedies. Energy drinks may contain both naturally occurring and added caffeine. Learn More
Cocaine is a powerful stimulant made from the leaves of the coca plant and consumed for both medical and non-medical purposes The two main varieties available are a water-soluble white powder, which is often mixed with other substances such as cornstarch, to be snorted or injected, and a water-insoluble whitish opaque crystal, known as “crack,” that is smoked or dissolved and injected. Using cocaine with other drugs, particularly opiates, either at the same time or consecutively, is associated with an increased risk of overdose. Learn More
Summarizes data on the use of cocaine, including the harms and effects, legal status and access to treatment. The prevalence of cocaine use was two per cent among people living in Canada in 2019. Cocaine contributes to the second-highest criminal justice costs of any substance in Canada after alcohol.
MDMA is often called ecstasy. It is an illegal drug frequently taken at parties, raves or music festivals.
You may believe that MDMA is a ‘safe’ drug, but it can have harmful short- and long-term effects. It is even possible to die from complications that arise from using it. Learn More
Methamphetamine is a synthetic drug known for psychoactive effects. It is classified as a central nervous system stimulant and comes in a variety of forms such as powder, tablets, crystals and rock-like chunks. Depending on its form, methamphetamine can be snorted, injected, ingested or smoked.
Methamphetamine produces a euphoric high and can be used to increase alertness, energy and self-confidence. It also produces harmful physiological and psychological effects including headache, elevated heart rate and body temperature, hallucinations and delusions. Regular use is associated with an increased risk of addiction, psychotic symptoms and cognitive impairment such as memory loss. Learn More
Methamphetamine (Canadian Drug Summary)
Summarizes data on the use of methamphetamine, including the harms and effects, legal status, hospitalization and access to treatment. The summary concludes that, while the prevalence of methamphetamine use is low, its availability is increasing and some jurisdictions has seen use triple over the past five years.
Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical. Youth are especially susceptible to its negative health effects, as it can interfere with healthy teen brain development and can affect memory and concentration. It can also lead to physical dependence and/or addiction. Youth may become dependent on nicotine with lower levels of exposure than adults.
Although not all vaping products contain nicotine, the majority of them do, and the level of nicotine can vary. A vaping product can deliver more or less nicotine than a cigarette.
Quitting vaping can be challenging once one has developed a physical dependence and/or an addiction. Nicotine withdrawal symptoms can be unpleasant. Learn More
Vaping products, “vapes” or “e-cigarettes”, comprise a wide range of products that heat a substance to produce an aerosol that is inhaled. Learn about the devices, how they work, and what they contain.
Each year, approximately 48,000 Canadians die from a tobacco-related disease. Canada’s Tobacco Strategy (CTS) is the current federal strategy to address tobacco use in Canada and is designed to help achieve the target of less than 5% tobacco use by 2035.
LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) is a potent hallucinogen—that is, a drug that can alter a person’s perception of reality and vividly distort the senses. LSD was originally derived from “ergot,” a fungus that grows on rye and other grains. Learn More
Drug Wheel
