Youth Health Report Highlights Vaping, Screen Time and Mental Health Concerns in Northwestern Ontario
NWHU’s 2024–25 school survey points to challenges with substance use and daily routines, alongside encouraging physical activity results.
NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO – LIFESTYLE / HEALTH – A Northwestern Health Unit youth health report paints a mixed picture of teenage well-being, with concerns about vaping, mental health and food access.
The findings come from the 2024–25 COMPASS survey at eight secondary schools in the health unit’s region. Fifty-seven per cent of students at participating schools completed the survey. The results reflect those respondents, rather than every young person in Northwestern Ontario.
Mental health and substance use raise concerns
According to NWHU’s September 2025 release, 55 per cent of surveyed students rated their mental health as good, very good or excellent.
Girls reported higher substance use and poorer mental health ratings than boys. Substance use was lowest among Grade 9 students and highest among Grade 12 students.
The release also identified concerning patterns over time, with fewer students reporting adequate sleep and positive mental health. These findings describe reported experiences; they should not be read as clinical diagnoses.
Vaping remains a challenge
Among respondents, 27 per cent reported vaping during the previous 30 days, while 16 per cent reported smoking cigarettes. Twenty-two per cent reported cannabis use, and the same proportion reported binge drinking during that period.
Nearly half of students who had never vaped were classified as susceptible to starting. That measure indicates vulnerability, rather than a prediction that they will begin vaping.
Food access and screen time deserve attention
Just 28 per cent reported eating breakfast every day. Six per cent said they sometimes went to bed hungry because there was not enough money for food.
Only three per cent met the report’s recreational screen-time guideline of two hours or less daily. Physical activity offered a brighter finding: 72 per cent met the report’s guideline of 60 minutes a day.
Support starts with everyday opportunities
The report recommends accessible school nutrition programs, opportunities for physical activity and spaces where students can connect without phones. It also encourages supportive conversations about substance use.
For schools and community organizations, the findings provide a starting point for deciding where support is needed.
Readers can review the full report through NWHU’s Reports, Publications, and Statistics page.
