In May/June 2020, the Wellington Guelph Drug Strategy conducted a survey to learn more about non-medical youth use of opioids. The driver for this study was the 2018 WDGPH Youth Survey which had identified that 17% of youth in Grades 7 and 10 in Wellington County had used an opioid (non-medically) at least once in the last year.
53 youth (14-24 years old) responded to our survey. An infographic summarizing key findings of the survey is attached, as is a written report describing this research more fully. The youth who answered our survey told us that they typically use Rx opioids, they live at home and go to school, and that they use opioids to relieve emotional pain and as something to do with their friends, and that opioids are easy for them to access.
Recommendations for action are included on the infographic.