This brief examines the average alcohol consumption of people in Canada and where it falls within the risk zones outlined in Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health (CGAH). The publication presents updated data on weekly drinking patterns by province, age, and sex, and assesses the extent to which people in Canada adhere to the CGAH guidelines. This report is intended to inform public health professionals, policy makers and researchers working to reduce alcohol-related harm.

Three Key Points You Will Find in the Document:

• People who drink alcohol in Canada consume an average of more than13...

CSUCH’s data visualisation tool can be used to estimate substance use trends across the country. The data helps inform programs, practices, and research to protect communities, save lives, and improve the well-being of people in Canada.

Spotlight: Top 3 causes of death due to substance use in Canada 

More than 200 people died each day due to substance use (SU) in 2020 (the latest year for which data are available). That works out to 73,994 deaths that year. The average age of death due to SU was 45 years. Tobacco use caused 63% (46,366) of SU-related deaths, followed by alcohol at 23%...

In a recent article, Gunawan and colleagues explore how the Incentive Salience (IS) domain in the Addictions Neuroclinical Assessment (ANA) framework relates to alcohol motivation and alcohol insensitivity. Their findings support previous research suggesting a connection between alcohol insensitivity and the motivation-driven response to alcohol-related cues. This review highlights the importance of understanding how individuals with low alcohol sensitivity (LS) experience stronger reactions to alcohol cues compared to those with high alcohol sensitivity (HS). It also emphasizes the need for...

Background
Binge drinking, defined as consuming five or more alcoholic drinks in a single session, is a major public health issue. It leads to cognitive and motor impairments and is linked to numerous health problems. This study aims to analyze globally published peer-reviewed literature on binge drinking.

Methods
A thorough search was conducted in the Scopus database using keywords related to binge drinking. Specific criteria were applied to filter the results, resulting in 2,763 relevant research papers. VOSviewer software was used to analyze and visualize connections between these studies...

Background
Cognitive deficits are common in patients with substance use disorder (SUD) and can impact treatment outcomes. The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) is a widely used tool that could help identify cognitive impairments in SUD patients. This systematic review examines the RBANS’ effectiveness in detecting cognitive impairment in SUD patients and discusses knowledge gaps and the need for further research.

Methods
A systematic search was conducted in PsycINFO, Medline, and Cochrane databases to find relevant studies on the use of RBANS in SUD...

Addiction and obesity share similar neurological pathways, both linked to compulsive behaviors and the brain's reward system. Research has highlighted the potential of GLP-1 receptor agonists, originally developed for diabetes, to help manage both appetite and addictive cravings. These medications, such as semaglutide, may regulate addictive behaviors by influencing reward circuits in the brain. However, they come with potential side effects, and their long-term effects are still under investigation.

In addition, a new compound, 5-Methoxy-2-aminoindane (MEAI), is being researched for its...

Background and Aims
Public views on alcohol, its harms, and related policies can influence behaviour and support for policies. This research aimed to (i) summarise evidence on public understanding of alcohol, (ii) compare public views with expert opinions, and (iii) develop new ways to improve public understanding and support for alcohol policies in the UK.

Methods
The study used a mix of methods:

1. A literature review to explore previous evidence on framing and alcohol policy.
2. Focus groups (20 participants) to compare public views on alcohol harms with those of public health experts.
3. Work...

The National Survey of Substance Use and Mental Health Services (N-SUMHSS) is a voluntary, annual survey that collects data from all active substance use and mental health treatment facilities across the United States, its territories, and Washington D.C. The annual report provides valuable insights into key operational characteristics of these treatment facilities, including the use of pharmacotherapies, availability of language assistance services, and the provision of suicide prevention assistance. This comprehensive survey helps to inform policymakers, researchers, and service providers on...

Individuals with chronic pain are more likely to engage in hazardous alcohol use compared to the general population. Despite this increased risk, they are an underserved group regarding targeted interventions. There is a pressing need to explore and develop alternative strategies to effectively reduce hazardous drinking in this vulnerable population. One promising approach is to focus on managing pain-related anxiety, which is a potential mechanism linked to hazardous drinking.

Researchers adopted a phased model (1A/1B) to address this need to create and test a new personalized feedback...

A significant number of individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) do not seek treatment, and the factors influencing treatment-seeking behavior are not well understood. While it is known that alcohol consumption levels can fluctuate with the seasons, the impact of these seasonal changes on seeking treatment for AUD remains unclear. This study aimed to explore whether there are seasonal patterns in the pursuit of treatment for AUD.

To investigate this, researchers conducted a time-series analysis involving adults in Denmark aged 18 and older who sought treatment for AUD. They focused on two...

Previous studies have shown that when students perceive their parents set strict limits on underage drinking, they tend to consume less alcohol. However, the best ways to communicate these limits effectively remain unclear. To explore this, a recent study examined the potential impact of hypothetical text messages focused on drinking limits on students' estimated alcohol consumption.

The study involved 253 undergraduate students who participated in an online survey. They were asked to imagine a scenario where they planned to attend a night event that involved drinking. Each participant was...

A study was conducted to examine how patterns of alcohol and cannabis use are associated with bystander intervention in situations involving the risk of sexual and relationship violence among college students. Researchers aimed to explore whether students' substance use influenced their awareness of risky situations (referred to as bystander opportunities) and their likelihood of taking action (bystander behaviors). Two key hypotheses guided this investigation: the first being that the frequency of bystander opportunities would vary depending on the students’ patterns of alcohol and cannabis...