Know the Risks of Substance Use: Fact Sheet Activity

Health Canada has a responsibility to communicate health and safety messaging to Canadians. Older youth in Canada (ages sixteen and seventeen, or in grades eleven and twelve) are below the legal age of consumption for substances like cannabis and alcohol, thus prevention is the primary goal for this age group.

However, studies show that youth in Canada often begin consuming substances before the legal age of consumption, and that some consume illegal substances as well. Because of this, we have a duty to communicate ways to reduce the risks of using substances to this age group, to reduce the chances of potentially fatal overdoses and poisonings.

What you will find in this module is information on the risks of using substances, the benefits to choosing not to use substances, as well as important safety information that can save the life of a young person who does use substances, or who knows others who do.

Prior to hosting the Think Ahead: Know the Risks of Substance Use program, it is recommended to review the following resources for an overview on opioids: Resources.

This module is intended for educators to guide students through a classroom experience and optimized for desktop use. If viewed on mobile, it is recommended to use landscape view for best results. An accessibility toggle is available to adjust text size and layout on smaller mobile screens.