Alcohol abuse: seven teenagers in québec by day end up in the emergency room

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QMI agency

Tuesday, 13 march 2018, 18:06

UPDATE
Tuesday, 13 march 2018, 18:06

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Up to seven young Quebecers aged 12 to 24 years old are found on a daily basis to the emergency room because of severe alcohol poisoning, indicate data compiled by the national Institute of public health of Quebec (INSPQ).

The data were presented Tuesday, while Quebec has decided to ban the sale at convenience stores and grocery stores, sugary drinks, high alcohol content, like the FCKD UP and the Four Loko.

According to the INSPQ, 2332 young people were admitted to emergency rooms between January 1 and November 26, 2017, or 214 per month and 7 per day. The life of the quarter was in danger at the time of their arrival at the hospital, while 57 % had complications, “such as coma, head injury or hypothermia,” said the Institute in its study.

The types of alcohol consumed by these young people have not been identified, but the Institute pointed out that the three-quarters of the patients had drunk beverages with high alcohol content.

“The available data do not allow to conclude that the products of high sugar content and alcohol are the main cause of the cases of acute poisonings seen in emergency rooms in Quebec by 2017. Nevertheless, their analysis highlights a problematic concern which justifies to strengthen the actions of prevention”, has analyzed the INSPQ.

According to the INSPQ, “the volume of sales of products the most alcoholic (at least 11% alcohol) increased more than triple (319 %) between 2016 and 2017”.