Alcohol Use in Lambton County
Short-term risks from alcohol use include injuries, alcohol poisoning, and violence, while long-term risks include cancer, liver and heart disease, stroke, mental health problems, and alcohol dependence. Alcohol use can harm others around you. These are called second-hand harms.
On average, each year in Lambton County:
- 56 people die because of alcohol (2014-2018)
- 250 people are hospitalized because of alcohol (2015-2019)
- 2,247 people visit the emergency department (2015-2019)
In 2023, about 77% of adults in Canada said that they had at least one drink in the past year (Source: Statistics Canada), while in Lambton County, people are more likely to report heavy drinking (21.9%) than the Ontario average (16%) (Source: Public Health Ontario).
New research from the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction resulted in Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health, which shows that any amount of alcohol can harm your health and that if you choose to drink, the safest choice is to drink less.
Learn more about Reducing Alcohol Use in Lambton County.
Lambton Public Health and Alcohol
Lambton Public Health works to reduce the harms associated with alcohol use in a number of different ways. We do this by:
Health Teaching and Education
We support children and youth with school presentations and support curriculum through resources and training seminars for service providers.
Sharing Health Information
We share information to increase awareness about the health effects of alcohol and how to reduce the use based on Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health.
Engaging Community Partners
Lambton Public Health is part of the Lambton Drug and Alcohol Strategy (LDAS).
Reports and Resources
Public Health Ontario
Research findings and featured resources – Health Promotion: Alcohol
Ontario Ministry of Health
Balancing Act: An All-of-Society Approach to Substance Use and Harms