New HEAL Study: The Shifting Riskscape: Changes in Geographic Accessibility to Alcohol, Cannabis, and Tobacco in Ontario, Canada from 2019 to 2022
- Post by: Olivia Teresa Caruso
- 3:26PM Aug 22, 2025
- No Comment
A team of HEAL researchers, led by Shiran Zhong with Alexander Wray, Jamie Seabrook, and Jason Gilliland, recently published an article titled “The Shifting Riskscape: Changes in Geographic Accessibility to Alcohol, Cannabis, and Tobacco in Ontario, Canada from 2019 to 2022” in the International Journal of Drug Policy.
This study examines changes in geographic accessibility to alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco outlets in Ontario, Canada, following the provincial regulatory reforms between 2019 and 2022. Overall, accessibility to alcohol and cannabis outlets increased, particularly in rural and disadvantaged neighbourhoods, while accessibility to tobacco outlets declined slightly. Compared with the general population, neighbourhoods with higher proportions of lone-parent households had consistently greater accessibility to alcohol and tobacco outlets both before and after the regulatory changes, and these neighbourhoods also experienced a disproportionate increase in accessibility over this period. Neighbourhoods with lower levels of educational attainment and lower income also saw a significant increase in accessibility to cannabis outlets. Together, these patterns suggest a redistribution of outlets toward disadvantaged communities over time. The visibility of these substance outlets within disadvantaged neighbourhoods (through storefronts and advertising) may influence youth perceptions and contribute to the normalization of substance use. These findings underscore the need for targeted public health interventions and policies to mitigate exposure and reduce substance-related harms, particularly among vulnerable youth populations.
Citation: Shiran Zhong, Alexander Wray, Jamie Seabrook, Jason A Gilliland. The shifting riskscape: Changes in geographic accessibility to alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco in Ontario, Canada from 2019 to 2022. International Journal of Drug Policy, Volume 145, 2025, 104965, ISSN 0955-3959. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104965.