Abbotsford: Drug and Alcohol Addiction, Rehabilitation and Recovery

General Information for Abbotsford

Abbotsford, located in the Frasier Valley of British Columbia, sits adjacent to Metro Vancouver. With a population of a little over 159,000, Abbotsford is the fourth largest metropolitan area in the province, and 23rd in Canada. When measured in area, Abbotsford ranks as the largest city in the province. The city is characterized by its views of the Coast Mountains. Its southern-most boundary is the US-Canadian border, sitting above Washington State. To the west, Abbotsford is bordered by Langley, the Fraser River and Mission to the north and Chilliwack to the east.

The city has the third largest population of visible minorities, after Toronto and Metro Vancouver. Approximately 24 percent of Abbotsford residents were born outside of Canada, with the majority originating from South Asia. Its major industries include agriculture, transportation, manufacturing and retail. However, over recent years, the city has seen a growing aerospace industry. More than half of the city’s population, or 62 percent, work within the city’s boundaries. The remaining 38 percent commute to nearby Vancouver and its surrounding suburbs. Abbotsford is also home to the University Of Fraser Valley.

Drug and Alcohol Abuse and Addiction in Abbotsford

According to the Center for Addictions Research of BC (CARBC), the Northern-Interior has a higher incident rate of alcohol-related deaths. The Lower Mainland region of BC, on the other hand, has a higher incident rate of drug-related deaths than other areas of the province. Province-wide statistics from CARBC have shown that close to 80 percent of all British Columbian residents use alcohol at least ‘occasionally’. Conversely, about 14 percent of residents categorized themselves as ‘former drinkers’. Alcohol use is common for both sexes, with 82 percent of surveyed males and 77 percent of surveyed females using alcohol in some form. The vast majority of British Columbian alcohol users are between the ages of 19 and 39—approximately 90 percent of 19 to 24 year olds and 85 percent of 25 to 39 year olds surveyed consumed alcohol during the 12 preceding months. Of 15 to 18 year olds, 65 percent used alcohol. Furthermore, 44 percent of males and 27 percent of females surveyed consume alcohol at least once per week.

The survey also found that over half of all British Columbia residents have used marijuana, 17 percent of who used in the preceding 12 months. Of marijuana users, 21 percent were males, and approximately 13 percent were categorized as ‘current users’. Marijuana users trend younger than alcohol users in the province, with 35 percent of 15 to 24 years old reporting use, compared to 24 percent of 25 to 34 year olds. Overall, marijuana use is reportedly rising steadily.

Lastly, the CARBC survey studied the use of illicit drugs—such drugs as cocaine, ecstasy, and others. Results showed that less than 23 percent of those surveyed reported use of illicit drugs in their lifetime, four percent of who did so in the preceding 12 months. Hallucinogens and cocaine are the illicit drugs of choice, with 17 percent and 16 percent of respondents, respectively, using in their lifetime,.

At Sobriety.ca Foundation, we keep up-to-date on all the latest drug use and addiction research so that we can offer the best treatment. New research allows a better understanding of alcohol and drug addiction, resulting in better counseling, treatment, and aftercare, and, ultimately, a more successful recovery process.