NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
Sixty per cent of youths 15 to 24 years of age in the NWT participate in heavy frequent drinking, compared to 11.7 per cent nationally, according to the 2006 NWT Addictions Report and the 2009 Canadian Alcohol and Drug Use Monitoring Survey.

Heavy frequent drinking is defined as a person who drinks one or more times per week on average in a year, and usually consumes five or more drinks on each drinking occasion.

"That's a huge difference," said Marlene Villebrun, mental health specialist for the GNWT. "There certainly is a problem."

She said the difference in numbers between the North and the rest of Canada isn't limited to alcohol consumption or youths.

Cannabis use is another prevalent addiction in the territories, she said.

Twenty per cent of NWT residents 15 years and older had used cannabis in the past year, according to the 2006 report.

Forty-nine per cent of those past-year users reported using cannabis at least once a week.

"What that means is that at least 10 per cent of the NWT population age 15 and over is using cannabis on a weekly basis," said Villebrun.

The number of youths 15 to 24 years old in the NWT who have used cannabis in the past year increased by seven per cent to 36 per cent in 2006 from 29 per cent in 1996, according to the addictions report.

Nationally, past-year cannabis use decreased among adults 15 years and older to 10.6 per cent in 2009 from 14.1 per cent in 1996.

The North is also above average in all of the national statistics for the use of the five other illicit drug categories: cocaine/crack, hallucinogens, speed, ecstasy and heroin.

Between 1996 and 2006, the rate of lifetime use of any of the five types of illicit drugs remained stable at around 17 per cent, while the national average was 11 per cent in 2009.

Villebrun said there are many reasons why the North faces higher addiction rates. She said a common reason youths give for drinking or using drugs is they are bored.

There are also social problems, she said, pointing to the continuing affects of the residential schools system on aboriginal people.Finding help

Whatever the cause, the GNWT has resources in place to create awareness about addiction and to help people overcome it, said Villebrun.

She said the biggest resource available is the community counselling program, which is provided through the eight Health and Social Services authorities in the NWT.

There are counsellors and community wellness workers available in every community, providing prevention, education, assessments and counselling around addictions, mental health issues and family violence.

"They're busy," said Villebrun. "They serve all of the NWT, working with children, youth, adults and families. They have a big job to do."

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