While smoking and drinking are on the decline among Ontarians, pot smoking is on the rise, a new study indicates.

The report, published by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, finds that between 1977 and 2005, use of marijuana among adults almost doubled to 14 per cent from 8 per cent. The average age of pot smokers has also increased to 31 from 26.

The authors of the report stress that only 2 per cent of users are at a dangerous level; most smoke marijuana less than once a month.

Rates of cigarette smoking, on the other hand, are down, declining to 20 per cent of the population in 2005 from 28 per cent in 1996. Drinking and driving rates have also fallen, to 6 per cent in 2005 from 13 per cent in 1996.

Rates of binge drinking among young men and young adults in general haven't changed much, according to the study, with 10.4 per cent of the respondents, or 909,600 Ontarians, reporting the practice.

"Substance use, mainly tobacco and alcohol use, still costs Canada almost $9 billion in health-care costs alone each year," said Dr. Juergen Rehm, senior scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, in a release.

The report also finds:

  • 78.9 per cent of Ontarians have consumed alcohol in the past 12 months.
  • 10.8 per cent, or 987,400, consume five or more drinks on a single occasion weekly.
  • 25 per cent of drinkers report one or more alcohol problems.
  • 10.6 per cent, or 153,700, daily smokers report a high smoking dependence
  • 1.2 per cent, or 120,400, have used cocaine in the past 12 months
  • 12.9 per cent, or 1.2 million, report elevated psychological stress during the past few weeks.

Men rather than women were more likely to use substances of any kind, the report suggests, as were single people, those with less education and those with higher income.

On the other hand, women were more likely than men to report elevated psychological distress over the past few weeks.

The statistics were taken from CAMH Monitor, an ongoing addiction and mental health survey based on annual phone interviews with 2,445 adults. The sampling error for the total sample in 2005 should not exceed +/-2 per cent, according to the authors.