Ontario Drug rehabilitation

When it comes time to choose a drug rehab center in Ontario for you or your loved one, it can be very difficult. Conducting research for an appropriate drug rehabilitation facility in Ontario can be problematic as you will receive differing information from one program to the next. Many rehab programs will tell you that they have the “best” program available and some other facilities won't be able to give you a success rate, or will be very vague and complex about it. Now, how can a drug or alcohol rehabilitation program not be able to give you a success rate? Either they do not have any of that information or they have insufficient after care follow up.

Drug-Rehab.ca has done its homework!

We have researched all of the drug programs in Ontario, but before we go on, let's take a look at our philosophy:

We do not refer people to rehabilitation programs that use drugs in any shape or form to cure an alcohol and/or drugs dependency. Our philosophy is that a pill cannot help one handle daily life, however ideal it would be if you could administer a pill and an addict is cured. Addiction to drugs or alcohol does not work like this. Addiction is an inability to deal with life. The person is not in control with their life and this lack of control creates overwhelming stress and drugs or alcohol therefore becomes a solution. So how can a pill increase those abilities to be more in control over one's life? It cannot. What it will do is numb the problem, but it will not solve it.

Overview of drug use in Ontario

Ontario has a population of over 12 million. Ontario is the most populated province in Canada, followed by the province of Quebec.

Ontario is bordered by Quebec on its eastern side. South of Ontario is the United States, and the great lakes. The province of Manitoba is located to the west.

The greatest population concentration is in the Greater Toronto Area, with approximately 6 million people.

Ontario has a huge diversity of street drugs abuse. Cocaine and crack/cocaine are probably the most popular. Opiate based drugs such as heroin come in at a close second, and party drugs such as ecstasy and methamphetamine are also popular.

The Toronto drug scene, 1990-2000 - Article

Given the ten year anniversary of the research group on drug use (RGDU), it is interesting to take a retrospective look at the major developments in the Toronto drug scene. In our view there have been four major developments:

The first is heroin deaths. In 1990, when the RGDU began monitoring deaths related to heroin, there were 40 deaths reported. This number rose to a decade high of 67 in 1994. Since then, this number of heroin related deaths has declined to 36 in 1998. A significant rise in methadone treatment availability and continuing needle exchange services are credited for preventing an epidemic of heroin-related fatalities in Toronto compared to the magnitude experienced in the city of Vancouver. Unfortunately methadone and needle exchange does not solve the problem.

Crack cocaine began replacing cocaine powder in the Toronto drug scene in the early 1990s. Crack continues to be a dominant enforcement indicator and treatment for cocaine (primarily crack) is second only to alcohol. Moreover, treatment for cocaine is higher in Toronto than in the rest of the province. While crack smoking continues, the rising popularity of crack injection has been observed in the second half of the 1990’s.

Upswing in adolescent drug use - Like other areas of the province, country and continent, the use of drugs among Toronto adolescents has increased during the 1990s. This increase is especially evident for drugs such as cannabis, MDMA, methamphetamine and hallucinogens.

By far the most current development has been the expansion of the rave scene in Toronto. Recent drug-related deaths have been associated with rave attendance and thus have generated both public debate and myths. One myth is that all youth who attend raves are heavy drug users. Research based on the Ontario student drug use survey shows that this is not the case. Another myth is that all raves are safe. As evident from recent events, not all raves provide a safe environment, one that reduces the possibility of harm.

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One hundred-fifty-five individuals died from drug-related causes in Toronto in 1998. This is slightly above the average of 144 drug-related deaths annually for the period monitored (1986-1998).

Eighty-six of these deaths were classified as accidental and fifty-seven as suicides; in the remaining twelve cases, a distinction between accident and suicide could not be made.

Surveys of the general adult population continue to show low levels of illicit drug use. Less than one percent of adults responding to the 1998 CAMH survey had used crack cocaine or heroin in the past year; exactly one percent had used cocaine powder (See discussions of individual drugs in the findings section).

Cannabis continued to be the illicit drug of choice among adult respondents, with 13% reporting use in the 1998 survey, and 10% in 1999.

Several indicators of substance abuse among youth presented in this report are elevated. The 26% of junior high and high school students reporting cannabis use in the 1999 Ontario student drug use survey is the highest rate since the survey began in 1974 (See discussion of cannabis use, page 10). The rates of reported use of several other drugs also increased between the 1997 and 1999 surveys, including MDMA or ecstasy (from 2.9% to 7.3%), cocaine (from 2.7% to 6.4%), methamphetamine (from 2.1% to 7.2%), tranquillizers –non-medical use (from 0.6% to 4.0%), stimulants (from 3.3% to 7.9%), and barbiturates (from 1.0% to 4.3%). While these latter increases are statistically non-significant, the overall pattern is striking.

The numbers of requests for the treatment of substance abuse for youth in Toronto reached a five year high between 1998 and 1999. While the total number of requests to the drug and alcohol registry of treatment for Toronto residents increased by less than one percent (an additional 14 calls), those for individuals under 25 years of age increased by 30% (from 378 to 491 calls, See Table 10, page 44).

Treatment counselors report an increasing trend among youthful clients to harder drugs such as cocaine and heroin.

The severity of addiction and mental health issues among youth are of particular concern to treatment professionals. In addition, legal difficulties are more frequently found among youth in treatment than in each of the older age groups.

As reported last year, crack cocaine remains the dominant drug on the streets.

Designer drugs have added a new dimension to the drug issue.

Looking at specific drugs

Cocaine - Surveys continue to indicate low levels of past-year cocaine use in the general population. Reported rates in 1998 remained stable among Toronto adults, at about 1%. In 1999, 6% of Toronto students reported using cocaine. Use of crack cocaine is reported by less than 1% of adults and about 2% of students.

Since the beginning of the 1990s, the number of cocaine (powder) seizures has shown a downward trend. About 11 kilograms of cocaine were seized in Toronto in 1999. Similarly, crack seizures appear to be on a downward trend since peaking in 1992, but remain higher than when data were first collected in 1989. In 1999, the number of cocaine seizures represented 5% of all drug seizures, where as crack continued to account for a significant proportion of drug enforcement activity (30% in 1999) – currently second only to marijuana as the primary drug among all drug seizures in Toronto.

Cocaine still remains the most common illicit drug for which treatment clients seek help — among both Toronto residents and those in the rest of Ontario. In 1998, over one-third (35%) of clients sought help for cocaine use.

Marijuana - According to population surveys, past year cannabis use among Toronto adults remained relatively stable in 1999, at about 10%. Among Toronto students, past year use of cannabis increased from 9% in 1993 to 18% in 1995, leveling off to 19% in 1997. The 1999 survey found past-year cannabis use among 26% of junior high and high school students in Toronto, the highest rate reported since the survey started in 1974.

In 1999, the number of marijuana seizures continued on an upward trend, representing almost half (48%) of drug seizures. However, since 1996, the quantities seized have shown a downward trend. Still, the numbers of marijuana seizures and the amounts seized during the late 1990s are substantially higher than those in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

In 1998, almost one-in-five (18%) of drug treatment clients cited cannabis as a problematic substance.

Barbiturates, sedative-hypnotics, and tranquilizers - Population surveys indicate low, stable rates of sedative (barbiturate) use for non-medical purposes. Among Toronto students in 1999, 4% reported using sedatives, and 4% used tranquillizers (non-medically) during the past year.

However, evidence of increasing use of these drugs on U.S. campuses calls attention to the need to monitor this use locally.

Hallucinogens - Survey data indicate that past-year use of LSD among Toronto students increased slightly in 1999, compared to 1997 (6% vs 3%, respectively). The percentage of students reporting use of other hallucinogens (e.g., mescalin) was found to be at an all-time high in 1999, at about 13%.

Seizures of LSD remain on a downward trend in the 1999 data. There were 14 LSD seizures in 1999, and 13 in 1998 – the lowest numbers since before 1987 (188 seizures). However, the number of micrograms per hit confiscated in 1999 increased substantially compared to 1998 (4296 vs 97, respectively).

Hallucinogens are rarely cited as a major problem by drug treatment clients. Less than 1% of those seeking treatment in 1998 cited major problems with drugs in this category.

Stimulants - Among Toronto students, past year, non-medical use of stimulants, such as diet pills, was reported by about 8% in 1999. This represents a slight increase since 1997 (3%), yet it is not as high as the level found in 1983 (14%).

Use of methamphetamine ("Speed") also showed a slight increase in 1999 compared to 1997 (7% vs 2%, respectively). The 1999 estimate is the highest found during the study period.

Seizure data on methamphetamine date back only to 1995. Between 1995 and 1998, the confiscations and quantities seized have been relatively low. However, in 1999 there were 30 seizures (0.04 kg), up from 13 in 1998.

No stimulant-related deaths occurred in 1998 in Toronto, In fact, only six deaths involving these drugs have been recorded locally since 1986. While relatively less lethal than other substances, the highly addictive nature of these drugs is a serious concern.

Ecstasy - Among Toronto students surveyed in 1999, past-year use of MDMA ("ecstasy") was at 7%, the highest observed in a gradual upward trend since 1991.

Recent available statistics on MDMA enforcement activity indicate an increasing trend: there were 6 seizures in 1997 (1.2 kg seized); 11 in 1998 (2 kg seized); and 99 in 1999 (11 kg seized). MDMA accounted for about 2% of the total number of drug seizures in 1999.

GHB - Currently, no data is available on GHB use among the Toronto general population, nor are there enforcement data on GHB police activity. While GHB is generally recognized as a more lethal drug than ecstasy, reliable testing for the presence of this drug at autopsy has only recently been introduced in Ontario.

Fast Facts

In the province of Ontario for the year 2003 there were 977 vehicle crash fatalities reported. Of these accidents those, 854 were known to have had alcohol involved in some way. That is to say that 84% of all vehicular fatalities had some sort of alcohol involvement. 279 or 32.7% were found to be directly related to alcohol.

During the same year there were 1281 grievous injuries directly resulted from single vehicle crashes. Of these, 461 or 36% were related to alcohol. There were 4046 serious injuries as a result of multi vehicle collisions. 397 or 9.8% were found to be related to alcohol consumption.

During the same year there were 1281 grievous injuries directly resulted from single vehicle crashes. Of these, 461 or 36% were related to alcohol. There were 4046 serious injuries as a result of multi vehicle collisions. 397 or 9.8% were found to be related to alcohol consumption.

According to studies, the deviation between booze being present and being a bestowing factor depends on the measure of data available, and the attitude of the persons who died. "A motor vehicle fatality was considered to be alcohol involved if there was at least one drinking driver or pedestrian in the fatal crash".

In the province of Ontario it costs a minimum of $200 to see an emergency doctor before any medical procedure can be undertaken. If one was to use this as a guideline, the approximate cost on Ontario’s medical system would be approximately $171,600 at the minimum. Imagine all the other ways this money could be used.  How much equipment could be purchased with these funds? How many people could be assisted?

In the province of Ontario it costs a minimum of $200 to see an emergency doctor before any medical procedure can be undertaken. If one was to use this as a guideline, the approximate cost on Ontario’s medical system would be approximately $171,600 at the minimum. Imagine all the other ways this money could be used.  How much equipment could be purchased with these funds? How many people could be assisted?

In Ontario, you get a more elevated penalty if you are convicted of impaired driving more than once:

• First conviction: License suspended for a year, plus a $600 fine
• Second conviction: License suspended for three years, plus 14 days imprisonment
• Third conviction: License suspended for 10 years or for life, plus 3 months imprisonment
• Fourth conviction: No possibility of that individual ever having an Ontario driver’s license again, plus he or she must spend another 3 months in jail.

Ontario has many of government drug rehab centers and also some private drug rehab centers.