Women 

Overview


Although there are some commonalities between women's and men's use of substances, there are also a number of differences (for example, rates of use for various drugs, biological impacts, risk factors, nature of substance use problems, and recommended responses). Women are less involved with substances than their male counterparts in the general population on most indicators. These differences warrant a separate discussion of women's substance use issues.    

Read entire overview

Selected Readings

Improving Treatment and Support for Yukon Girls and Women with Substance Use Problems and Addictions [PDF]
Government of Yukon, [2009]

Highs & Lows: Canadian Perspectives on Women and Substance Use
British Columbia Centre of Excellence for Women's Health (BCCEWH) and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), 2007

Self-Harm Among Criminalized Women [PDF]
Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA), August 2006

Best Practices - Early Intervention, Outreach and Community Linkages for Women with Substance Use Problems [PDF]

Health Canada, 2006

Mental Health and Addictions in Women [PDF]

Research Bulletin, Centres of Excellence for Women's Health (CEWH), Vol. 5, No. 1, Spring 2006

Women Working Toward Their Goals Through AHS Enhanced Services for Women
Alberta Health Services (AHS),  March 2006
Summary [PDF]
Technical Report [PDF]

Women and Drug Use in Europe
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), March 2006

Girls, Women and Substance Use [PDF]
British Columbia Centre of Excellence for Women's Health (BCCEWH), and Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA), 2005

Community Mobilization for Women and Girls Who Self-Harm: An Environmental Scan of Manitoba Service Providers: Report Summary [PDF]
University of Winnipeg, Carleton University and Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA) in conjunction with the Elizabeth Fry Society of Manitoba, September 2005

Substance Abuse Treatment and Care for Women: Case Studies and Lessons Learned [PDF]
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), 2004

Models and Practices in Service Integration and Coordination for Women Who are Homeless or At-Risk of Homelessness: An Inventory of Initiatives [PDF]
Ontario Women's Health Council (OWHC), 2003

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