Smoking and vaping and alcohol and cannabis use by youth in the Rainy River region remain sharply above the provincial average, according to a recent COMPASS survey of health trends among students in grades nine to 12.
The study, which also examined health concerns such as eating and sleeping, screen time, bullying and general mental health, suggests that youth in the Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) are smoking cigarettes at more than triple the provincial average, using cannabis and vaping at more than twice the average, and drinking at a significantly higher rate than their Ontario peers.
The COMPASS survey, which includes all of the Rainy River District and some of the Kenora District, was based on the results of the 2024-25 COMPASS survey developed by the University of Waterloo. It included voluntary responses from students in grades nine through 12 from eight schools in the region. About 57 per cent of students participated in the study.
Scott Leatherdale, a professor of public health and health systems and research chair for the University of Waterloo, as well as the principal investigator of the COMPASS study, said the results are showing that there is a direct impact on youth when governments implement policy changes, but the impacts aren’t often recognized, something the survey results could help change.
““If we look at some of the recent policy changes that have happened federally, cannabis legalization, alcohol sold in grocery stores, or changes to the food guide, I think too often we completely ignore, overall, the impact that policy change has on youth,” Leatherdale said.
“Rather than going through all the work of developing a new study, contracting scientists, [and] spending millions of dollars to collect that information, all of that is already available in the COMPASS system.”
Twenty-two per cent of NWHU youth surveyed reported binge drinking in the previous 30 days (five drinks or more on one occasion), compared with a provincial average of 15 per cent.
“Because research suggests an increase in youth drinking is related to poor academic performance, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) awareness campaigns and educating youth about low-risk alcohol drinking guidelines are suggested,” the researchers said.
“Another suggestion is for sports coaches to talk to the team about excessive drinking due to a tendency for student athletes to drink more alcohol more frequently.”
Cannabis use sat at 22 per cent, double the provincial average of 11 per cent. The researchers recommended the enforcement of school policies around cannabis consumption on school property and students being high in class, as well as meaningful education-based programming.
Vaping and smoking remained disproportionately high for students in the NWHU area. Both were more than 10 percentage points higher than the provincial average. Sixteen per cent of NWHU youth had smoked cigarettes in the 30 days prior to the survey, and 27 per cent had used a vape or e-cigarette in the same timeframe. Of those who used a vape, 51 per cent said they used it as a way to relax, eight per cent as a way to quit smoking, and 40 per cent did it out of curiosity.
The study also canvassed students on their sleeping habits, nutrition, screen time, physical activity, and asked for a self-assessment of their mental health.
While youth in the NWHU area reported better sleep habits than the rest of the province, their eating habits left something to be desired.
The report found that 59 per cent of NWHU youth were meeting the national guideline of eight to 10 hours of sleep per night, well above the Ontario average of 51 per cent. But only 33 per cent ate fruit seven days per week, 12 percentage points below the provincial average of 45 per cent, and vegetables 11 points under the provincial average of 46 per cent. Alarmingly, only 28 per cent ate breakfast seven days a week, nine points below the provincial average of 37 per cent.
The researcher recommended implementing more resources to guide youth nutrition trends to better outcomes, making water more accessible at school by letting students have a personal water bottle at their desk, promoting youth nutrition programs like free breakfast, establishing a nutrition committee, a staggered lunch schedule, and incorporating the Canada Food Guide into lessons.
Parents and caregivers might also find helpful resources at the National Eating Disorder Information Centre and toolkits from the National Eating Disorder Association.
Further results showed that only three per cent (Ontario average four per cent) of the students were meeting the national guideline of two hours or less of recreational screen time per day. Scrolling on social media eclipsed time spent doing homework, watching TV shows or movies, playing video games, and texting at an average of 2.1 hours per day.
Since the provincial average is so low, the report suggested there’s a critical need to limit screen time outside of the classroom by creating screen-free spaces at local schools where students can disconnect. Another method might be creating a screen-time reduction challenge as a way to encourage students to set goals for reducing their recreational screen time.
On a more positive note, physical activity among students in the region was about level with the provincial trend of 73 per cent, with 72 per cent responding that they had performed 60 minutes or more a day of physical activity.
The full report is available through the Northwestern Health Unit’s website.
