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Original source: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) http://www.camh.net/
Distributed by: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Suggested citation (see Data Citation Notes):

1. Ontario Student Drug Use Survey [year], Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
2. Public Health Monitoring of Risk Factors in Ontario - Ontario Student Drug Use and health Study (OSDUHS), [year]
   

• The Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS), is the longest ongoing school survey of adolescents in Canada, and the second longest in North America. The study is based on 18 survey cycles (to date) conducted every two years since 1977. A report titled ‘Drug Use Among Ontario Students: 1977-2011' can be found on the CAMH website (1).
• The OSDUHS began as a drug use survey, but is now a broader study of adolescent health and well-being, designed to identify trends in student drug use, mental health, physical activity, risk behaviour, and risk and protective factors (2).
• All data are based on self-reports derived from anonymous questionnaires administered in classrooms to Ontario Students between the grades of 7 and 12 between November and June of the school year.
• The survey is restricted to adolescent students enrolled in publicly-funded schools (public and Catholic schools). Those enrolled in private schools, institutionalized for correctional or health reasons, on Firsrt Nations reserves, military bases and in the far northern region of Ontario are excluded.
• The anonymous, self-administered questionnaires are completed during a single class period, and usually require approximately 30 - 40 minutes to complete.
• The survey captures past use of alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs and non-medical use of prescription drugs. The OSDUHS identifies the extent of illicit drug use, the timing and pattern of illicit drug use, and risk and protective factors for illicit drug use among the general student population.
• The provincial results from OSDUHS are presented by two analytical groups of students: those in grades 7 to 12, and those in grades 7, 9, and 11 only. The first group is used to assess current drug use and ten-year trends (1999-2009), and the second is used to assess long-term trends (1977-2009). All data are based on self-reports derived from anonymous questionnaires administered in classrooms between November 2008 and June 2009.
• The survey design has divided the province into four regions: Toronto; Northern Ontario (Parry Sound District, Nipissing District and farther north); Western Ontario (Peel District, Dufferin County and farther west); and Eastern Ontario (Simcoe County, York County and farther east). Beginning in 2007, estimates of substance use among high school students only (i.e., grades 9-12) have been analyzed according to Ontario's Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) geographic areas. Because of small sample sizes, data was merged for some LIHNs (1, 3, 4).
• Optional extra OSDUHS sample buy-in is available to health units as part of the Public Health Monitoring of Risk Factors in Ontario (PMO) project. The following 6 health units bought into the 2008/09 cycle: Durham Region; York Region; Ottawa; Haliburton, Kawartha Pine Ridge; Leeds Grenville and Lanark; and Lambton. In 2010/11, 5 health units were part of the PMO project: Durham Region; York Region; Ottawa; Niagara; and North Bay.  For the 2012/13 cycle, 7 health units committed to the OSDHUS buy-in: Durham Region; York Region; Ottawa; Haliburton, Kawartha Pine Ridge; Leeds, Grenville and Lanark; Peel; and Sudbury.
• The Mental Health and Well-Being of Ontario Students is a companion OSDUHS report that addresses trends in other important public health issues such as physical activity, mental health, gambling and violence among adolescents (5).
• The cross-sectional design provides a snapshot of drug use at a specific time point but does not monitor changes in an individual's drug use over time.
• The survey is based on self-reported information, and may, therefore, be subject to recall bias, social desirability bias and non-response bias.
• The survey does not capture the extent of illicit drug use or trends in illicit drug use among adolescents who may be at higher risk, such as those that dropped out of school or street youth.

1. Paglia-Boak A, Mann RE, Adlaf EM, Rehm J. Drug use among Ontario students, 1977-2011: Detailed OSDUHS findings. Toronto, ON: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health; 2011 CAMH Research Document Series No. 32. Available from: http://www.camh.ca/en/research/news_and_publications/ontario-student-drug-use-and-health-survey/Documents/2011%20OSDUHS%20Docs/2011OSDUHS_Detailed_DrugUseReport_2.pdf
2. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. The Ontario Student Drug Use Survey. Available from: http://www.camh.ca/en/research/news_and_publications/ontario-student-drug-use-and-health-survey/Pages/default.aspx 
3. Adlaf EM, Paglia-Boak A. Drug use among Ontario students, 1977-2007: Detailed OSDUHS findings. Toronto, ON: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health; 2007 CAMH Research Document Series No 20. Available from: http://www.ontla.on.ca/library/repository/ser/191553/1977-2007.pdf 
4. Paglia-Boak A, Mann RE, Adlaf EM, Rehm J. Drug use among Ontario students, 1977-2009: Detailed OSDUHS findings. Toronto, ON: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health; 2009 CAMH Research Document Series No 27. Available from: http://www.ontla.on.ca/library/repository/ser/191553/1977-2009.pdf
5. Paglia-Boak A, Mann RE, Adlaf EM, Beitchman JH, Wolfe D, Rehm J. The mental health and well-being of Ontario students, 1991 - 2011: Detailed OSDUHS findings. Toronto, ON: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health; 2012 CAMH Research Document Series No. 34. Available from: http://www.camh.ca/en/research/news_and_publications/ontario-student-drug-use-and-health-survey/Documents/2011%20OSDUHS%20Docs/2011OSDUHS_Detailed_MentalHealthReport.pdf