A Report on How Stigma Harms Youth Exposed to Parental Substance Use Disorder

A New Path Forward:  A Report on How Stigma Harms Youth exposed to Parental Substance Use Disorder and Recommendations for a New Path Forward

NEW REPORT: On February 3rd, Starlings Community released a FIRST of its kind report on how stigma impacts youth exposed to parental substance use disorder.

Approximately 1 in 6 youth are exposed to the stress and stigma of a parent's substance use disorder. These children/youth are at double the risk for depression, triple the risk for addiction, and are 8 out of 10 times more likely to die from suicide, compared to children not exposed to parental substance use disorder. However, these youth have not been acknowledged or prioritized within federal policies or recommendations and impacted youth are not offered proactive healing supports.

Canada is experiencing an opioid epidemic and a substance use crisis that is taking a devastating toll on families. Substance use disorders—whether fentanyl, methamphetamine, alcohol-related or other—are ravaging communities, taking lives, and perpetuating intergenerational trauma at significantly staggering rates.

Recently, Starlings Community released their report outlining the gap in current services and a comprehensive approach to supporting children affected by stress and stigma associated with a parent's substance use disorder.  See the report here:

• A NEW PATH FORWARD: A report on the harm stigma imposes on children exposed to parental substance use disorder, containing recommendations for carving a new path forward

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Quick facts from the report:

• Nearly 1 in 6 youth currently experience the stress and stigma of parental substance use disorder
• 1/10 people in Canada report being challenged by their substance use.
• 28% of males and 18% of females (with children younger than 13 years of age) self-reported problematic or risky alcohol use since 2020.
• Children/youth exposed to parental substance use disorders are double the risk for depression, triple the risk for addiction, and are 8 out of 10 times more likely to die from suicide, compared to children not exposed to parental substance use.
• In 2018, 70% of federally incarcerated women were parents of minor children.
• Between 2016 and 2019, nearly 25,000 people died from substance use.  
• Canadian taxpayers finance $46 billion annually in healthcare, justice system and lost productivity costs due to substance use disorder

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