National Addictions Awareness Week (NAAW)

The Ripple Effect: How Addiction Affects our Society

Every November, Canada observes National Addictions Awareness Week (NAAW) — a time to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and spark meaningful conversations about substance use and recovery. Addiction affects people in every part of the country, regardless of age, background, or income. Understanding what addiction truly is, how it affects Canadians, and what supports exist can help build more compassionate communities and support those on the path to healing.

Addiction

Addiction often referred to as a substance use disorder (SUD) is not a moral failure or a lack of willpower. It is a chronic medical condition that affects the brain and behaviour. Clinicians often describe addiction using the “4 C’s”: Craving, Loss of Control, Compulsion to use, Continued use despite Consequences.Addiction can involve substances such as alcohol, opioids, stimulants, nicotine, and cannabis or behaviours such as gambling. It develops due to a mix of factors: genetics, trauma, environment, mental health conditions, and changes in brain chemistry.

Importantly, substance use exists on a spectrum  from no use, to low-risk use, to high-risk use, and finally, addiction. Not everyone who uses substances develops a disorder, but for many, repeated use changes how the brain experiences reward, stress, and self-control. This is why addiction is difficult to overcome without support.

The Impact of Addiction on Society

Addiction is a major public health issue in Canada, affecting individuals, families, workplaces, and entire communities.

1. Prevalence

Substance use is widespread. Alcohol remains the most widely used substance in the country. Many Canadians also use cannabis, prescription medications, and illicit drugs. Polysubstance use using more than one substance at a time — is increasingly common, raising the risk of overdose and other harms.

2. The Toxic Drug Crisis

Canada continues to face an unprecedented overdose crisis driven by an increasingly toxic and unpredictable drug supply. Thousands of families have lost loved ones, and communities across the country — urban, rural, and remote — are deeply affected.

3. Harm to Families and Communities

Addiction doesn’t only impact individuals. Families often experience emotional stress, financial strain, caregiving challenges, and in some cases, grief. Communities face increased healthcare needs, homelessness, and loss of productivity.

4. Economic Costs

Addiction contributes to billions of dollars in direct and indirect costs — including healthcare, law enforcement, social services, lost wages, and workplace impacts. Yet behind these numbers are real people whose lives and potential matter.

How Addiction Impairs Health

Addiction affects every domain of health — physical, mental, emotional, and social.

1. Physical Health Effects

Different substances cause different harms, but common consequences include:

• Liver disease

• Heart problems

• Respiratory issues

• Increased risk of infections

• Overdose

• Withdrawal symptoms

Long-term substance use can weaken the immune system, damage organs, and impair neurological function.

2. Mental Health Effects

The link between mental health and addiction is strong. Many people live with both a mental health condition and a substance use disorder, often referred to as a concurrent disorder.

Common mental health impacts include:

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Paranoia

• Memory and concentration problems

• Sleep disturbances

• Increased risk of suicide

Addiction can both contribute to and worsen mental health conditions, creating a cycle that is difficult to break without suppor

3. Social and Emotional Health

Addiction often leads to

• Social isolation

• Relationship strain

• Financial hardship

• Job loss or difficulty maintaining employment

• Legal issues

These consequences can intensify the disorder, making recovery more challenging.

Recovery Is Possible — and Hope Matters

Addiction is complex, but recovery is real. Millions of Canadians have rebuilt their lives through treatment, harm reduction, peer support, and community care. Compassion, understanding, and support can make all the difference.

National Addictions Awareness Week reminds us that addiction is not a personal failure — it is a health issue that deserves empathy, evidence-based support, and collective action.

References:

• Government of Canada — Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy (CDSS) — public health approach, harm reduction, treatment, recovery. 

• Health Canada — Canadian Substance Use Survey (CSUS) / Canadian Alcohol and Drugs Survey (CADS) 2023.

• Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) — background on substance use, prevalence, and health/social impacts. 

• CAMH — Mental illness and substance use disorders statistics in Canada. 

• Canadian Public Health Association — commentary on mental health & addiction crisis in Canada.