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Hastings and Prince Edward Public Health

Substance Use, Addiction, and Related Behaviours

Education about substance use is essential to help students develop the necessary skills and knowledge to make healthier choices. Classroom teachers have a unique opportunity to positively influence the lifestyle choices of their students through role modelling, knowledge, and teaching.

Substance use occurs along a spectrum ranging from no use at all to experiencing a substance use disorder.

(School Mental Health Ontario, 2019)

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) conducts the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey in Grades 7-12 in schools across Ontario every two years. Read the summary report or watch the video for the 2021 results.

The Connection Between Mental Health and Substance Use

Youth have identified that they use alcohol, cannabis and other drugs to enhance their social experience and to cope with stress and mental health issues. Regular and early use of substances including alcohol and cannabis in adolescence can harm the developing brain, and is also linked with behavioural, physical and mental health issues.

Educators play a key role in healthy student development. All students, including those who are already using substances, can benefit from learning how to cope with stress and anxiety. It is important for teachers, coaches and other trusted adults to be ready to talk with youth about substance use and mental health problems. For more information on mental health and how you can support your students click here.

Using the Ministry of Education’s Foundations for a Healthy School framework, schools, school boards, parents and community partners can work together to develop healthy school environments that promote and support student well-being. Information below has been organized following this framework.

Curriculum, Teaching and Learning

General

  • My Brain My Choice (Grade 6) Focusing on legal substances (tobacco/vaping, cannabis and alcohol), this 60-minute public health-led presentation will introduce concepts of brain development and addiction to students in a fun and interactive way. Using our “egg brain model”, students will learn how substances affect brain chemistry and can lead to addiction. Throughout, students are encouraged to think of healthy behaviours associated with positive brain development. Please contact us to request the presentation and access this resource.
  • OPHEA (Grades 1-12) Ontario Physical and Health Education Association (OPHEA) provides resources to support lesson plans about substance use, addiction and related disorders.
  • Talking About Series (Grade 7-12) This educational resource addressing cannabis, tobacco, vaping, and waterpipes includes a set of activity guides to help facilitate critical discussion with young people in a fun and informative manner. This resource aligns with the 2015 H&PE Curriculum.

Cannabis

  • OPHEA Teaching Tools: Cannabis Education Activity Plans (Grades 5-12) These elementary and secondary level activity plans have been designed to support educators in providing students with inquiry-based activities to address the topic of cannabis with the Substance Use, Addictions and Related Behaviours curriculum expectations.
  • The High Way Home? (Grades 10-12) This interactive web site developed by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) guides users through real life scenarios where they must make decisions about cannabis use and driving. Youth focus groups were consulted in the planning stages of the web site development and content addresses key findings from research conducted by CCSA on Canadian youth perceptions on cannabis.

Vaping

School and Classroom Leadership

Student Engagement

School Wide Campaigns

Social and Physical Environments

Smoke Free Ontario

Public Health is mandated to enforce the Smoke-Free Ontario Act (SFOA), 2017, within its jurisdiction of Hastings and Prince Edward Counties which includes school grounds. To learn more about Tobacco Laws and Enforcement visit our Tobacco Laws and Enforcement page, contact the Tobacco Talk Line at 613-966-5513 or 1-800-267-2803, ext. 600, or email the Tobacco Talk Line at ttl@hpechu.on.ca.  

School Complaints

For incidences of smoking/vaping tobacco, E-cigarettes, or cannabis on school property, or within 20 metres of school property, please complete the School Incident Report form to report the occurrence to our enforcement officers. This report also applies to witnessing the sale of tobacco, cannabis or e-cigarettes on, or near, school property to those under 19 years of age.

School Board Policies

School boards can set policy that influence the social & environmental norms students experience. Individual schools should speak to their school boards about whether they can develop individual school policies.

Policies that include “possession” language are desirable as they go above and beyond the Smoke Free Ontario Act by not allowing tobacco, vapes, or other substances on school property or at school-related events. 

The following is an example of an administrative procedure: Alcohol, Tobacco, Vaping, Cannabis, and Drug Free Environment 

It is supported by a prevention-focused administrative procedure: Drug, Cannabis, Alcohol and Tobacco: Standards and Education

Home, School and Community

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COVID-19 vaccines in HPE

Eligible individuals can receive their vaccination at many participating local pharmacies by contacting the pharmacy directly. Please visit covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations for location and registration information.

Vaccine ordering for health care providers

Vaccine orders for routine immunizations and STI medications continue to be available through HPEPH by using our vaccine order forms; however, please note that our vaccine delivery/pickup procedure has changed. For the most up to date pick up schedule please visit hpePublicHealth.ca/vaccine-orders-info-healthcare-providers/.