Consumption of psychoactive substances

The consumption of psychoactive substances is part of the “behaviour and lifestyle” subdimension. Examples of psychoactive substances include caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, legal and illegal drugs and medications. Their effects are highly diverse and they are used for various purposes and in a range of contexts. In some cases, their use can lead to health problems such as several types of cancer, overdoses, and various mental health problems (UNODC, 2016). Their consumption can also lead to psychological and physical dependence and to problematic substance use. Problem substance use is defined as the harmful use of psychoactive substances in a way that has negative effects on a person's health and life (Health Canada, 2019). Such use can affect many aspects of life, including mental health, social relationships, work, school, money, etc.

The committee has just begun its work on this aspect. Information will be added soon.

PULSAR has developed a conceptual framework for exploring and identifying the best ways to measure and evaluate specific aspects of sustainable health. This framework makes it possible to take stock of existing tools and measures and categorize and classify them according to various criteria such as ease of use, complexity, and implementation cost. Once established by consensus by our committees, this system will provide a quick overview of the tools and measures proposed by PULSAR for each dimension of interest. The conceptual framework is re-evaluated annually to allow the committees to make improvements so it can be used to develop multiple indicators of sustainable health.