Year: from 2007 to 2017. Type of substance, including alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, opioids and other central nervous system (CNS) depressants, cocaine and other CNS stimulants, and other substances such as hallucinogens and inhalants. Cost category: healthcare, lost productivity, criminal justice and other direct costs.
What are the costs associated with substance use in Canada?
Substance use in Canada cost almost $46 billion in 2017. This equals almost $1,258 for every Canadian, regardless of age. Read the Canadian Substance Use Costs and Harms 2015–2017 report to learn the costs associated with a range of different substances and how they impacted health care, lost productivity, criminal justice and other direct costs.
What is the economic impact of drug and alcohol addiction in Canada?
Substance use costs the Canadian economy an estimated $46 billion per year in direct health care expenditures, lost productivity and expenses related to enforcing its Criminal Code. The great majority of these costs result from alcohol and tobacco use.
What are Canada’s most harmful substances?
This special issue on substance use issues comes at a critical time for Canadian health policy makers and researchers. Most attention is currently focussed on the opioid crisis and the potential impacts of cannabis legalization. However, our most widely used and harmful substances continue to be alcohol and nicotine.