Canadian Postsecondary Education Alcohol and Drug Use Survey: Summary

On this page

• How is substance use monitored?
• How common is substance use?
• What are the patterns and trends in substance use?
• What influences substance use?
• What harms do students experience from substance use?
• Are students aware of substance-related health information?
• Suggested citation
• Previous CPADS report summaries
• More information on substance use in Canada
• Footnotes

How is substance use monitored?

Health Canada monitors substance use and its impacts on postsecondary students through the Canadian Postsecondary Education Alcohol and Drug Use Survey (CPADS). Survey results help shape policies and programs that address substance use and support students.

The survey’s objectives are to:

• Measure how common substance use is
• Identify patterns and trends in substance use
• Examine factors that may influence substance use
• Assess the harms students experience from substance use
• Evaluate students' awareness and behaviours related to safe substance use

The survey asks students about their use of:

• Alcohol
• Cannabis
• Prescription drugs (including opioids, sedatives, and stimulants)
• Illegal and other substances (such as cocaine and psychedelics)
• Cigarettes and vaping products

This summary provides key findings from the third iteration of the survey, which ran from October 2, 2024, to April 15, 2025. A total of 43 schools took part, including universities, colleges, CEGEPs, and polytechnics located across 9 provinces and 2 territories. Altogether, 29,371 students completed the survey. This summary focuses on students aged 17 to 25 years old (n=22,961) to align with data from previous iterations.

Data from this iteration, modified to protect student and school identities, will be available at a later date on the Open Government portal as a Public Use Microdata File (PUMF). The 2021-2022 PUMF is currently available (CPADS 2021-2022 PUMF Data - Open Government Portal).

For more detail about this summary, including definitions of terms and other information to help you understand the data, please refer to the Technical notes.

For previous summaries, visit the archived reports.

To view detailed results for all CPADS cycles in the series, please visit the Drug and alcohol use in Canada data tool.

How common is substance use?

Figure 1: Percentage of postsecondary students in Canada reporting substance use by substance, CPADS 2024-2025

Figure 1: Text description

Figure 1: Notes

Many students use substances (Figure 1). Based on self-reported use in the past 12 months:

• 75% used alcohol
• 39% used cannabis
• 15% used pharmaceutical opioids (prescription opioids or low-dose codeine)
• 14% used prescription stimulants
• 10% used prescription sedatives

These were the most common substances used by students.

Students were also asked about 15 illegal and other substances of concern^{Footnote †}, of which 11% of students reported using at least one. The most common were:

• 9% used hallucinogens (8% used psychedelics and 1% used dissociatives)
• 3% used cocaine
• 2% used ecstasy or similar designer drugs

Approximately 18% of students did not use any substances in the past 12 months. Students most often reported they had used one (30%) or two (22%) substances.

Note: Students weren’t asked if they had vaped or smoked in the past 12 months. However, when asked about the past 30 days, 18% said they had vaped (with or without nicotine, not including cannabis) and 10% said they had smoked cigarettes.

To view all available data by cycle, substance, and timeframe, visit the Drug and alcohol use in Canada data tool.

What are the patterns and trends in substance use?

Figure 2: Percentage of postsecondary students in Canada reporting substance use by substance, CPADS 2024-2025 compared with CPADS 2021-2022

Figure 2: Text description

Figure 2: Notes

Compared to 2021-2022 (Figure 2), results from the 2024-2025 school year for the most common legal and illegal substances used in the past 12 months showed:

• Alcohol use was similar (75% vs. 79%)
• Cannabis use was similar (39% vs. 43%)
• Prescription sedative use was similar (10% vs. 10%)
• Hallucinogen use was similar (9% vs. 8%)
• Cocaine use decreased^{Footnote *} (3% vs. 4%)
• Ecstasy or similar designer drug use decreased* (2% vs. 3%)

Students were not asked about vaping or smoking in the past 12 months. For a timeframe of the past 30 days, results showed no significant differences between 2024–2025 and 2021-2022.

Pharmaceutical opioids and prescription stimulants were not compared to the previous cycle because the survey questions were worded differently. In 2021-2022, pharmaceutical opioids were referred to as “pain killers” and prescription stimulants as “stimulants.” These terms were clarified in the current cycle to improve participant understanding and response accuracy. This may have affected how students answered in comparison to the previous cycle.

To view all available data by cycle, substance, and timeframe, visit the Drug and alcohol use in Canada data tool.

Polysubstance use

Some students reported using more than one substance at the same time or close enough in time that the effects overlapped (referred to as “polysubstance use”):

• 26% reported polysubstance use in the past 12 months.
• 15% reported polysubstance use in the past 30 days.

Among students who reported polysubstance use in the past 30 days, 74% reported using alcohol and cannabis together—the most common combination. For other combinations, see the Drug and alcohol use in Canada data tool.

Modes of consumption

Students who had ever used illegal or other substances of concern^{Footnote †} reported the methods they had tried. The most common methods were oral (84%), inhalation (32%), and nasal (30%). Two percent (2%) had tried injection.

What influences substance use?

Reasons for use

Students were asked why they had used certain substances. The full list of reasons for the substances below and for other substances is available in the Drug and alcohol use in Canada data tool. The most common reasons for using common substances include:

• 79% of students who used non-medical cannabis in the past 12 months did so to get high/for fun.
• 74% of students who used pharmaceutical opioids in the past 12 months that weren’t recommended or prescribed to them by a medical professional did so to manage physical pain.
• 70% of students who used prescription stimulants in the past 12 months that weren’t recommended or prescribed to them by a medical professional did so to help with academics.
• 45% of students who had ever used psychedelics did so to try it (new experience), while 42% reported using it to experience the effect (to get high).
• 44% of students who vaped in the past 30 days did so because they enjoyed it, while 17% reported using it to reduce stress or calm down.
• 39% of students who had ever used cocaine did so to try it (new experience), while 31% reported using it to be social.
• 39% of students who had ever used ecstasy or similar designer drugs did so to experience the effect (to get high), while 31% reported using it to try it (new experience).
• 32% of students who used prescription sedatives in the past 12 months that weren’t recommended or prescribed by a medical professional did so for stress or anxiety, while 19% reported using them to experience the effect (to get high).

Sociodemographic differences

The survey asked respondents questions to better understand their personal and student characteristics (known as sociodemographics). Looking at sociodemographics helps show how substance use differs between groups, which can guide more tailored interventions where needed. Although the Drug and alcohol use in Canada data tool includes many sociodemographic breakdowns, this summary focuses on five key areas where consistent differences were observed in the use of common substances: age, sex, LGBTQ2+, mental health, and international student status.

Age

Figure 3: Percentage of postsecondary students in Canada reporting substance use, by substance and age, CPADS 2024-2025

Figure 3: Text description

Figure 3: Notes

Sample distribution: 37% of respondents were 17 to 19 years old, 43% were 20 to 22, and 20% were 23 to 25.

Results: For most substances, there were no differences by age group. For cannabis, prescription sedatives, cocaine, and ecstasy, the youngest age group (17 to 19 year olds) reported the lowest use (Figure 3). The greatest difference was for cannabis, with 32% of 17 to 19 years old reporting use compared to 45% of 20 to 22 year olds and 42% of 23 to 25 year olds.

Sex

Figure 4: Percentage of postsecondary students in Canada reporting substance use, by substance and sex at birth, CPADS 2024-2025

Figure 4: Text description

Figure 4: Notes

Sample distribution: 46% of respondents were assigned a male sex at birth and 54% were assigned female.

Results: Compared to male students, a higher percentage of female students reported using alcohol, pharmaceutical opioids, and prescription sedatives (Figure 4). The greatest difference was for alcohol, with 78% of female students reporting use compared to 71% of male students. A higher percentage of male students reported using cigarettes, with an absolute difference of 4%.

LGBTQ2+

Figure 5: Percentage of postsecondary students in Canada reporting substance use, by substance and gender or sexual minority, CPADS 2024-2025

Figure 5: Text description

Figure 5: Notes

Sample distribution: 27% of respondents were LGBTQ2+ and 73% did not identify as LGBTQ2+.

Results: Compared to students who did not identify as LGBTQ2+, a higher percentage of LGBTQ2+ students reported using most substances (Figure 5). The greatest difference was for cannabis, with 52% of LGBTQ2+ students reporting use compared to 35% of students who did not identify as LGBTQ2+.

Mental health

Figure 6: Percentage of postsecondary students in Canada reporting substance use, by substance and self-rated mental health, CPADS 2024-2025

Figure 6: Text description

Figure 6: Notes

Sample distribution: 36% of students reported their mental health was poor or fair (“poor mental health”) and 64% reported their mental health was good, very good, or excellent (“good mental health”).

Results: Compared to students with good mental health, a higher percentage of students with poor mental health reported using most substances (Figure 6). The greatest difference was for prescription sedatives, with 18% of students with poor mental health reporting use compared to 6% of students with good mental health.

Domestic students

Figure 7: Percentage of postsecondary students in Canada reporting substance use, by substance and international student status, CPADS 2024-2025

Figure 7: Text description

Figure 7: Notes

Sample distribution: 90% of respondents were domestic students and 10% were international students.

Results: Compared to international students, a higher percentage of domestic students reported using alcohol, cannabis, vapes, prescription stimulants, prescription sedatives, and psychedelics (Figure 7). Percentages were the same or similar (within 1%) for pharmaceutical opioids, cigarettes, ecstasy or similar designer drugs, and cocaine. The greatest difference was for alcohol, with 78% of domestic students reporting use compared to 50% of international students.

What harms do students experience from substance use?

Substance-related harms

Figure 8: Percentage of postsecondary students in Canada reporting harms related to substance use, CPADS 2024-2025

Figure 8: Text description

Figure 8: Notes

Many students reported they had experienced harms from substance use (Figure 8):

• Nearly every student (>99%) who drank alcohol in the past 30 days experienced at least one alcohol-related harm in that time due to their own drinking. These ranged from minor effects like embarrassment or fatigue to serious outcomes like injury, police involvement, or seeking help for acute intoxication. Hangovers were the most frequently experienced specific harm (27%).
• 25% of all students experienced at least one alcohol-related harm in the past 30 days due to someone else’s drinking. Emotional harms were the most common (16%), including feeling upset or disappointed (11%) and having to take care of the person who had been drinking (11%).
• Among students who used cannabis in the past 12 months, 52% were at moderate risk of developing health, social, legal, financial, or relationship problems from their cannabis use. 7% were at high risk^{Footnote †}.
• 17% of students who used illegal or other substances of concern^{Footnote †} or non-recommended/non-prescribed opioids, stimulants, or sedatives in the past 12 months experienced at least one harm related to use during that time. The most common harm was a negative effect on their mental health (11%).

Professional help

Among those who reported use of specific substances:

• 8% of students who had used cannabis in the past 12 months reported ever feeling they needed professional help for cannabis use
• 4% of students who had used illegal or other substances of concern^{Footnote †}, new psychoactive substances (NPS), or non-recommended/non-prescribed opioids, stimulants, or sedatives in the past 12 months reported ever feeling they needed professional help for drug use
• 3% of students who had used alcohol in the past 12 months reported ever feeling they needed professional help for alcohol use

Substance use and vehicles

In this section, cannabis use is considered ingesting cannabis (eating/drinking/capsules) within the past 4 hours or inhaling (smoking/vaping) within the past 2 hours. Alcohol use is considered having 2 or more drinks of alcohol in the previous 2 hours.

In the past 12 months, among postsecondary students in Canada:

• 6% drove after using cannabis
• 10% drove after using alcohol
• 15% rode as a passenger in a vehicle driven by someone who used alcohol
• 17% rode as a passenger in a vehicle driven by someone who had used cannabis

Are students aware of substance-related health information?

Figure 9: Percentage of postsecondary students in Canada reporting awareness of substance-related health information, CPADS 2024-2025

Figure 9: Text description

Figure 9: Notes

Students have varying levels of awareness about substance-related health information (Figure 9):

• 66% had noticed health messaging about cannabis in the past 12 months
• 66% had ever heard of naloxone
• 43% had ever heard of drinking guidelines^{Footnote ¥}

Although more than half of students were unaware of drinking guidelines, nearly all who reported drinking alcohol in the past 30 days (99%) said they used strategies to slow down alcohol consumption, avoid intoxication, and prevent dangerous alcohol-related consequences during that time. The most common strategies employed “always” or “usually” included:

• 83% only drink in safe environments
• 81% eat before and/or during drinking
• 76% avoid getting in a car with someone who had been drinking

Suggested citation

Health Canada. Substance use among postsecondary students in Canada: Summary. Health Infobase. 2025 [updated ; cited ]. Available from: .

Previous CPADS report summaries

• CPADS 2021-22
• CPADS 2019-20

More information on substance use in Canada

• Canadian Substance Use Survey
• Canadian Student Alcohol and Drugs Survey
• Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy: Evidence

Health Canada conducts the Canadian Postsecondary Education Alcohol and Drug Use Survey (CPADS). For more information about the survey or its results, please contact the Office of Drug Research and Surveillance by e-mail at odrs-brsd@hc-sc.gc.ca.