More Ontarians Getting High, Drunk

Reported rates of drinking and smoking pot are on the rise in Ontario, a boon for the snack industry.

More Ontario residents are drinking and smoking weed more often, but scientists had to ruin the fun by mentioning that people are reporting higher levels of stress, too. In 2002, 5.3 per cent of adults in Ontario drank every day, and the average Ontarian had three drinks a week. In 2009, a survey by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health found that number rose to nine per cent and an average of 4.6 drinks a week. As far as marijuana goes, 13.3 per cent of people of all ages reported smoking it in 2009, compared to 8.7 per cent in 1996. The rate of pot use also doubled among people between the ages of 18 and 29, from 18 per cent in 1996 to 36 per cent in 2009. However, 15 per cent of adults also said they suffered from “psychological distress," which the survey's authors figure could be linked to the economic downturn.