Substance Abuse in the Aboriginal Community

Why are substances like alcohol and drugs abused?

Contact with Europeans and European culture has harmed the traditional ways of life of First Nations, Inuit and Métis. This damage includes the loss of homelands, traditions, languages and cultures over many generations, which in turn has damaged the overall health of Aboriginal communities, families and people.

Some Aboriginal communities don’t have more substance abuse problems than the rest of Canadians, but others do. Many Aboriginal families have to live and deal with poverty, isolation and unemployment in their communities. Some people abuse alcohol, tobacco, sniffing and prescription drugs as a way to deal with difficult life conditions.

There are also very personal reasons why someone might abuse alcohol and drugs or other substances, including:

• to escape from pain (could be emotional and/or physical)
• a family history of substance abuse
• child abuse
• the loss of a relative or friend
• peer pressure.

What can drinking, doing drugs and sniffing do to your health?

Abusing alcohol, drugs and other substances can cause physical, emotional, spiritual and mental problems. Depending on what is being abused, how often and how much, it can also:

• cloud your thinking and coordination
• increase risky and violent behavior
• cause problems within a family
• cause permanent damage to a developing baby during pregnancy. There is no known amount of alcohol that is safe to drink during pregnancy. Drugs also harm the unborn child. Ask yourself would I give my baby this when they are born. If not then most likely it should be avoided.

Aboriginal Peoples in Canada have some of the most serious health problems because of substance abuse. These include:

• death from alcohol abuse
• depression and other illnesses that may be caused by illegal drugs and substance abuse
• cancer and other serious health issues as a result of the non-traditional use of tobacco
• brain damage from sniffing
• effects of the abuse of prescription drugs
• HIV, specifically from the use of injection drugs.
• Alcohol abuse and dependence has been linked to diabetes with some people. It could be the cause or what is making a diabetic condition much worse.

How can problems with alcohol and other drugs be fixed?

The health of Aboriginal communities, families and peoples can be improved through a mixture of physical, emotional, spiritual and mental healing. For some people, this involves learning about their cultural traditions and values while for others it may involve seeing a counselor outside their community. Some people just decide on their own that they need to change, and they develop their own methods. Each person has their own way of healing.

Some Aboriginal communities have taken action against substance abuse problems by developing programs and policies that actively discourage substance abuse. These actions recognize that healthy communities are made up of healthy people. For example, some communities restrict the sale of alcohol, and other communities plan cultural activity nights (for example, games, crafts and community meals) to offer people something to do that doesn’t involve using alcohol or drugs.

Remember, no one has to wait for the community to make a decision on how it will become more healthy. The best way to make an impact is to ask ourselves what can I do to be more healthy? or what can I and my family do to help us become more healthy? If we all start out taking these basic steps toward better health imagine the impact we could have on our Métis Nation. For assistance or more information on substance abuse you can contact any one of your local MNO Health Branch Offices, the Addictions Wellness Coordinator in Welland or the MNO Ottawa Office at 1-800-263-4889 and ask for Health Services.