Vancouver Island struggles with alcohol more than any other region in BC.
The latest statistics from Island Health show that while the average per-person consumption of alcohol in BC is just over 9 litres per year, it’s nearly 11 and a half litres across the Island Health regions. The North Island has the largest amount consumed in the province, at nearly 13 litres. The national average last year was 7.8 litres.
Consumption hit a high point across BC during the pandemic, and has started to decline. And on the plus side, alcohol consumption among youth is on a steady decline, with 45% reporting they had tried alcohol compared to nearly 80% in the 1990s.
The stats show also alcohol is responsible for 130% more hospital admissions on the Island than the rest of the province, and double the national rate. More people are taken to hospital on the Island for alcohol-related issues than opioids and stimulants combined.
The stats are from a new report by Island Health’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Reka Gustafson, titled “Challenge and Change: A Public Health Response to our Perplexing Relationship with Psychoactive Substances.” It looks at the use of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and illicit drugs on Vancouver Island compared with other regions of BC and tracks trends in usage over the past several decades.
