Driving under the influence of opioids among high school students in Atlantic Canada: Prevalence, correlates, and the role of medical versus recreational consumption

• 4.3% of senior students drive under the influence of prescription opioids (DUIO).
• Among prescription opioid users the prevalence of past year DUIO is 14%.
• DUIO is higher among recreational compared to medical users.
• DUIO among recreational users was associated with other risky driving behaviour.
• Increased awareness of driver impairment from prescription opioids is required.

ObjectiveEmploying a sample of 3655 senior students (grades 10 and 12, median ages of 16 and 18, respectively) in Atlantic Canada, this paper examines the risk factors associated with driving under the influence of opioids (DUIO), comparing medical versus recreational opioid users. The associations of DUIO with driving under the influence of alcohol, cannabis, and being a passenger of an impaired driver are also examined.MethodsParticipants were drawn from the 2012 Student Drug Use Survey in the Atlantic Provinces, an anonymous cross-sectional survey of junior and senior high school students in three Atlantic Canadian provinces. Logistic regression techniques were employed in the analysis of unadjusted and adjusted models.ResultsAmong all senior students, the prevalence of DUIO in the past year was 4.3%. For those who had used a prescription opioid at least once in the past year, the rate of DUIO was 14%, with a higher rate among medical and recreational users (25.1%) compared to those using opioids only for medical purposes (9.6%). The predictors of DUIO were higher SES, higher sensation seeking, lower parental attachment, and being a recreational prescription opioid user. DUIO was strongly associated with other risky driving and passenger behaviours among recreational opioid users.ConclusionsDUIO is an emerging socio-legal and road safety issue, with implications for public health. Prescription opioid use intentions matter, with recreational users exhibiting most risky driving behaviour than medical users. Effort must be placed on educating prescription opioid users about potential impairment while driving.