Attitudes about drugs and alcohol are initially formed in the home and are later strongly influenced by teachers and peers. Education paired with skill building can have a role in delaying onset of first use by providing students with credible information about drugs and alcohol and building skills to manage the many influences placed on young people. 

Research demonstrates that preventing early onset of drug and alcohol use is vital to healthy brain development and good mental health. Education on drug and alcohol prevention ideally begins just prior to the average age of onset of use (shown to be between Grade 7 and 9).

Educating students on why they should delay the onset of substance use is imperative for the developing brain. The teen brain continues to be ‘rewired’ and as a result is more vulnerable to the negative effects of drugs and alcohol. Teenagers are more likely to act impulsively when faced with stressful or emotional decisions sometimes resulting in risky behaviour. Educators play a key role in healthy student development.

Youth identify that they use drugs and alcohol for the same reasons that adults do: to enhance their social experience, and to cope with stress and mental health issues.

For statistics and details on Ontario Student Drug Use – Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS)

For more information specific to youth vaping - Youth Vaping Prevention

Whole School Approaches 

A healthy school includes activities that aim to prevent the early onset of substance use. Consider the following activities as part of your health and well-being action plan:

Create a Substance Use Prevention Policy

• Raise awareness with staff, students, and families about policies and/or codes of conduct related to substance use.

Raise Awareness:

• Plan and participate in activities to raise awareness about substance use and addictions such as, National Addictions Awareness Week (3rd week of November) and Mental Health Week (1st full week of May).

Promote a Supportive School Environment

• Take an asset-building approach to promote thriving behaviours and reduce risk-taking behaviours (such as substance use) among students, using the Developmental Assets ® and Developmental Relationships ® frameworks. 

Enlist the Support of Community Partners:

• Enlist the support of your public health nurse and other community partners (such as police, community mental health agencies, etc.) in planning and implementing Healthy Schools initiatives.

Educator Professional Development
Substance Use E-learning Module 

Teaching and Learning 

Using credible resources and activities that align with Ontario curriculum can help students develop age-appropriate knowledge, learn new skills and make informed decisions to improve their health. Below are some examples that can help with teaching and learning related to substance use prevention, including alcohol, cannabis, opioids, and other drugs:

• Ophea H&PE Curriculum Lesson Plans - - Grades 1 -- 8 and Grades 9 --12. Includes lesson plans, supplements and activities designed to reflect the requirements of the Ontario Health and Physical Education curriculum. 
• School Mental Health Ontario —Youth Substance Use Resources for Educators

Health Unit Programs and Services 

The Real Wheel is a fun, interactive activity that engages students in discussion about different substances, and provides key facts about health and social harms.

This activity has been developed for Grades 7–12. However, educators can use the suggested activities as they deem appropriate and tailor them depending on the target audience.
To run The Real Wheel:

• Go to a free online spinning wheel site such as wheelofnames.com.
• Type in the substance categories below.
• Spin the wheel, and when it lands on a category, ask a question from that topic to start discussion. 

Substance Use Categories:
Alcohol
Cannabis
Energy Drinks & Caffeine
In the Mix
Nicotine
Opioids
Vaping

Student Engagement 

There are many ways for students to engage in substance use prevention, such as:

• Establish a student-led committee to plan and organize school-wide initiatives.
• Help students build skills to recognize substance-related influences and develop healthy decision-making and refusal skills (e.g. role play various scenarios).
• Create opportunities for developing school connectedness. 
• Facilitate student learning about local community supports and services and involve students in planning creative approaches for sharing this information with the broader school community. 
• Start a student support group to raise awareness about the risks associated with substance use.
• Encourage and organize activities that promote healthy living, including student leadership programs, intramurals, and clubs that appeal to a variety of interests.

Parent and Family Engagement

There are many ways for schools to engage parents, caregivers, and families in substance use prevention. Consider providing resources to support early conversations about substance use prevention. Use a variety of communication channels, such as signage, student/family agendas or handbooks, school websites, school messenger, newsletters, email listserv, announcements, parent meetings, etc. 

Visit the Substance website for a variety of parent resources and our Substance Use Prevention page.

Additional Resources:

• Connex Ontario
• Kids Help Phone
• Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA)

Contact Us

For more information or support, contact your local School Health public health nurse. You can also contact the health unit at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520 or complete our secure online Request for Service Form.

Updated: September 21, 2026