Psychoactive substances – what are often called “drugs” - are a part of our society. Most Canadians will use substances at some point in their lives, for many different reasons. Sometimes, using substances can cause harm to people’s health and to families and communities. Because many people experience harms related to alcohol, cannabis and other drugs, substance use issues are a public health concern.
The goal of public health is to prevent and minimize the harms that can come from using substances by:
- Creating awareness campaigns and programs designed to educate the public about substances and lower-risk use;
- Advocating for changes in policies in the interest of public health;
- Challenging stigma associated with substance use; and
- Promoting access to helping resources, such as smoking cessation and harm reduction.
Most of our activities are done in partnership with other community, provincial, and national groups.
Visit the links below for more information:
Seeking help for substance use problems
If you are experiencing a mental health or substance-related crisis, call/text Crisis Response: (807) 346-8282 (Thunder Bay) or 1-866-888-8988 (in Thunder Bay District), call 911, or go to your nearest hospital emergency department.
We also encourage you to visit the Substance Use and Addiction section on our Mental Health Supports page for information on services in Thunder Bay and district communities.
For Further Information
Call the Injury Prevention & Substance Use Program: (807) 625-5900
or toll-free 1-888-294-6630