Jurgen Rehm
Biographic Data
| ID | 79479 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Jurgen Rehm |
| GIVEN NAMES | Jurgen |
| FAMILY NAME | Rehm |
| SIGNATURE | REHM J |
| AFFILIATIONS | Centre for Addiction and Mental Health |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-5665-0385 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 265 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 130 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 265 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 2 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1986 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 6 |
Policing interactions and outcomes under shifting decriminalization policies in British Columbia
In January 2023, British Columbia (BC) implemented a three-year decriminalisation initiative, removing criminal sanctions for adults possessing up to 2.5 g of certain illegal drugs. In May 2024, the policy was amended, restoring penalties for possession in public spaces. Although these shifting legal frameworks may affect how people who use drugs experience policing, limited research has examined their perspectives. As part of a national evaluati…
The role of alcohol control policy on the level of alcohol consumption in member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations 2000–2022
Background: In his historical studies of current high-income countries, Angus Deaton demonstrated a correlation between a country's prosperity and the health of its population. His conceptual framework has recently been expanded to include the role of alcohol. In this ecological study, we test the key assumptions of the expanded framework and classify countries with respect to both their levels of alcohol consumption and alcohol control policies …
Alcohol Policies in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Region—Challenges, Opportunities and Moving Forward
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region saw an increase in alcohol‐attributable deaths attributed to the rise in consumption over the past decade. Rapid economic transition underscores the importance of understanding the multifaceted impact of alcohol consumption on society and the policies designed to mitigate its harms. This commentary discusses the challenges and opportunities of alcohol policy implementation in the ASEAN reg…
On the Label
Machine Learning Algorithms to Predict Heavy Episodic Drinking in the United States Using Survey Data
The role of oxygen in shelter-based overdose response
BACKGROUND: The toxic drug crisis in Canada is increasingly shaped by a complex and unpredictable unregulated drug supply characterized by polysubstance toxicity, including combinations of opioids and sedating agents that can produce prolonged respiratory depression not fully reversed by naloxone alone. Concurrent reductions in harm reduction infrastructure in Ontario, including the closure of supervised consumption services, may be shifting over…
The short-term impacts of the decriminalization of personal possession of select illegal drugs on drug possession criminal incidents and criminal cases in British Columbia, Canada (2013 to 2023)
The impact of national suicide prevention strategies on suicide rates in the Region of the Americas
The development and implementation of national suicide prevention strategies (NSPSs) is one policy response to suicide prevention adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO); however, evidence on their effectiveness remains limited and mixed. This study assessed the impact of implementing an NSPS on sex-specific suicide mortality rates in nine countries within the Region of the Americas from 2000 to 2021. Suicide rates were obtained from the W…
Impact of alcohol excise taxation and structural reforms on per capita consumption in Thailand, 1995–2021
Alcohol excise taxation (i.e., excise tax increases and structural reforms) significantly reduced APC in Thailand. Future taxation policies should include automatic adjustments for changes in inflation and/or disposable household income to sustain their long-term public health impact
Framing decriminalization
These findings highlight critical gaps in government communication and the dominance of misrepresentative media framing in shaping public attitudes. Effective drug policy requires not only legislative change but also proactive, coordinated, and sustained public education strategies to counter misinformation, reduce stigma, and build lasting support
Las ‘Guías para el Uso de Cannabis de Menor Riesgo (GUCMR)’
Die ‘Richtlinien für die Risiko-Reduzierung beim Cannabiskonsum (RRRCK)’
Les ‘Lignes Directrices Pour l'Usage du Cannabis à Moindre Risque (LUCMR)’
Role of socioeconomic status in modifying the relationship between alcohol use and injury events
BACKGROUND: Alcohol consumption is a well-established risk factor for injuries, yet the role of socioeconomic status (SES) in modifying this relationship remains underexplored. This study examines how SES influences the association between alcohol use and injury events, including both fatal and non-fatal injuries as well as the risk of repeated injuries requiring hospitalisation. METHODS: Using data from the UK Biobank, we applied Cox proportiona…
Mediating role of psychological distress and alcohol use in socioeconomic disparities in deaths of despair
BACKGROUND: Deaths of despair - suicide, drug overdose and chronic liver disease mortality - are major contributors to premature mortality in the USA, disproportionately affecting individuals with low socioeconomic status (SES). The mechanisms underlying these disparities, particularly the roles of psychological distress and alcohol use, remain insufficiently understood. We assessed associations of SES, alcohol use and psychological distress with…
Exploring unregulated substance use health data in Ontario, Canada
Canada’s overdose epidemic underscores the urgent need for high-quality, comprehensive, and timely national health data to inform evidence-based policies, population health management, and targeted intervention strategies. Using the province of Ontario, Canada, as a case study, this paper examines the current landscape of unregulated substance use health data, including both administrative and non-administrative health data sources. Health data o…
Changes in the Sex/Gender Gap in Cannabis Use in Ontario, Canada From 2001 to 2019
The Short‐Term Impacts of Decriminalisation of Personal Possession of Select Illegal Drugs on Drug Poisonings in British Columbia, Canada (2015–2023)
Alcohol Excise Taxation, Tax Share and Revenue in the European Union and the United Kingdom in 2022
The impact of an integrated alcohol policy
Evaluation of the national alcohol control strategy (Green Paper on Alcohol Policy) of Estonia
Treatment outcomes among children and adolescents with extensively drug–resistant (XDR) and pre–XDR tuberculosis
Extensively drug–resistant (XDR) and pre-XDR- tuberculosis (TB) account for approximately a third of pediatric MDR–TB cases globally. Clinical management is challenging; recommendations are based on limited evidence. We assessed the clinical outcomes for children and adolescents treated for XDR–and pre–XDR–TB. We performed a systematic review and meta–analysis of published studies reporting treatment outcomes for children and adolescents with XDR…
Changes in self-reported alcohol consumption at high and low consumption in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic
Although COVID-19 was associated with declines in alcohol consumption, in Lithuania it appears that there was an increase in consumption among the heaviest drinkers, driven partially by a smaller difference in consumption between males and females
Mapping the overdose crisis in Ontario
Sparsely populated and rural PHUs experience the highest burden of opioid-related harms, coupled with limitations in service accessibility, demonstrating a clear need for additional harm reduction services. Decision-makers may be misled into underestimating the crisis in non-urban areas as a result of oversimplified reporting, resulting in inadequate support for these regions. Addressing these disparities is key to reducing opioid-related mortali…
Exploring the early impacts of drug decriminalization on harm reduction and opioid agonist treatment service operations and delivery in British Columbia
Key informants perceived that decriminalization did not lead to immediate changes in HR and OAT site operations. Longstanding systemic barriers continued to limit service capacity and policy impact. Providers highlighted the need for sustained investment in housing, staffing, and supervised spaces to support meaningful engagement and reduce stigma. Addressing these foundational issues was seen as essential for realizing the policy's intended publ…
Morbidity and mortality attributable to alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use in Canada
OBJECTIVES: This study estimated morbidity and mortality attributable to substance abuse in Canada. METHODS: Pooled estimates of relative risk were used to calculate etiologic fractions by age, gender, and province for 91 causes of disease or death attributable to alcohol, tobacco, or illicit drugs. RESULTS: There were 33,498 deaths and 208,095 hospitalizations attributed to tobacco, 6701 deaths and 86,076 hospitalizations due to alcohol, and 732…
Low-risk Drinking Guidelines
Measuring Alcohol Consumption
This article is an overview of different approaches to measuring alcohol consumption: self-reports and objective measures such as blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and aggregate level measures. These approaches are evaluated as regards their ability to capture quantity, frequency, volume and variability of drinking. This review focuses on self-report measures and on the current knowledge of undercoverage error when compared with sales data. In th…
Alcohol-Attributable Cancer Deaths and Years of Potential Life Lost in the United States
Objectives. Our goal was to provide current estimates of alcohol-attributable cancer mortality and years of potential life lost (YPLL) in the United States. Methods. We used 2 methods to calculate population-attributable fractions. We based relative risks on meta-analyses published since 2000, and adult alcohol consumption on data from the 2009 Alcohol Epidemiologic Data System, 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, and 2009–2010 Natio…
Safer Injection Facilities (SIFs) for Injection Drug Users (IDUs) in Canada
Predictors of Health Risk Behaviours Among Young Adults
The Case for a Heroin Substitution Treatment Trial in Canada
Daily drinking and harm
Most guidelines on low-risk drinking suggest at least one day per week with no alcohol (e.g., Ashley et al., 1994; British Medical Association, 1995). The ARF-CCSA joint policy statement based on the International Symposium on Moderate Drinking and Health states explicitly: 6. To minimize any risk of dependence, there should be at least one day per week when no alcohol is consumed. (Ashley et al., 1994) The only reason given is that many studies …
Patterns of Drinking and Mortality from Different Diseases—An Overview
Alcohol has been linked to a considerable burden of disease worldwide. Recent epidemiological research has shown that dimensions of alcohol exposure other than average volume are causal in the etiology of disease. Based on a systematic, computer-assisted search, this article attempts a qualitative review of this literature. Results show that cardiovascular disease, especially ischaemic heart disease, is linked to patterns of drinking: regular and…
Determinants of Property Crime Among Illicit Opiate Users Outside of Treatment Across Canada
Criminal activities account for a major proportion of the social costs related to illicit drug use. This article examines the factors contributing to property crime activity among a community sample of 653 untreated regular illicit opiate users in 5 Canadian cities (OPICAN study). Multivariate analyses showed the frequency of heroin, cocaine, and crack use, gender, housing status, and past criminal justice involvement as predictors of property cr…
Social costs of untreated opioid dependence
Prevalence and predictors of psychopathology in the war-afflicted Syrian population
Research on the psychological impact of war on affected populations is important for the planning and provision of interventions. However, most studies that address the effects of political violence have been restricted to Western countries, and even after six years of civil war in Syria, there has been no study addressing its psychological impact on the general population. The present study used an online survey to examine the level of psycholog…
Cannabis Use in Canada
Feasibility and Outcome of HCV Treatment in a Canadian Federal Prison Population
We assessed feasibility and outcome of hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment in male correctional inmates in British Columbia, Canada. We reviewed the medical charts of 114 treated inmates; 80 had complete data for treatment outcome. Approximately 4 of 5 inmates completed treatment (78.8%); 66.3% achieved sustained virological response. Those who completed treatment, those with injection drug use as a risk factor, and those with genotypes 2 and 3 wer…
Alcohol and All-Cause Mortality
Reviewing 59 studies of the risk curve for alcohol consumption level and all-cause mortality, a general J-shaped curve is confirmed, particularly in cohorts with experience starting at middle age (rather than in youth or old age). The divergence in most studies that are exceptions to this rule can be plausibly explained. A pooled analysis of studies with cohorts age 45 and above at entry shows the most beneficial effect for women in a drinking ca…
Beyond Ischemic Heart Disease
Evidence is growing that alcohol consumption confers health benefits beyond protection from ischemic heart disease. We review this evidence with regard to cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, cholelithiasis (gallstones), cognitive functioning, and stress reduction and subjective psychosocial benefits. Other possible benefits are briefly considered. The weight of evidence suggests that low-level alcohol consumption offer…
Do Ontarians Drink in Moderation? A Baseline Assessment Against Canadian Low Risk Drinking Guidelines
Reduced intergroup differentiation as a result of self‐categorization in overlapping categories. A quasi‐experiment
A quasi‐experiment was conducted to examine the effects of self‐categorization in overlapping categories on intergroup differentiation. ‘Old aged women’ was used as the first, ‘sports’ as the additional category. It could be shown that intergroup differentiation was significantly reduced under crossed categorization conditions. Implications for social compensation strategies are discussed
How Many People in Canada Use Prescription Opioids Nonmedically in General and Street Drug Using Populations
Non-medical Use of Prescription Opioids and Public Health in Canada
Substance-attributable Morbidity and Mortality Changes to Canada’s Epidemiological Profile
Illegal Drug-Attributable Mortality and Potential Years of Life Lost in Canada 2002
The article estimates the deaths and years of life lost due to use of illegal drugs in Canada in the year 2002. In 2002, for Canada, 1,695 deaths were attributable to illegal drug use, 0.8% of all deaths: 1,183 of men (1.0%) and 512 in women (0.5%). Main causes of illegal drug use-attributable death were drug overdose, suicide, and hepatitis C. In 2002 in total, 62,110 years of life were lost prematurely, 42,306 years among men and 19,805 years a…
Prescription Drug Abuse in Canada and the Diversion of Prescription Drugs into the Illicit Drug Market
No Protective Effect of Alcohol Consumption on Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) in African Americans
The association between average volume of drinking and coronary heart disease (CHD) morbidity and mortality in African Americans compared with whites was explored, based on a representative US sample. A prospective cohort study with interview follow-up after 10 years and outcome follow-up over about 15 years was used. The sample consisted of 1,158 African Americans and 6,607 whites, all 40 years of age and older with no history of heart disease a…
Comparing Opiate Users in Methadone Treatment with Untreated Opiate Users
The formation of prejudicial judgements as an interaction between heuristic processes and social identity of the judge
This study empirically tested the assumption that in prejudical judgements cognitive processes are mediated by group anchoring. This assumption was supported in the case of estimations about participation in traffic accidents by different groups
Wearing uniforms and aggression–A field experiment
Zimbardo's de‐individuation concept was tested in a field experiment using games of fieldball. The results support the assumption that higher degrees of anonymity lead to more aggressive acts
Therapeutische Rollenorientierung und soziale Repräsentationen von stationären Alkoholismus-Patienten
Die vorliegende Arbeit versucht empirisch zu klären, ob die jeweilige Rollenorientierung von klinischen Therapeuten die klinische Urteilsbildung über stationäre Alkoholismus-Patienten beeinflußt. Dabei konnte die Existenz von rollenspezifischen sozialen Repräsentationen nachgewiesen werden, die die individuelle Informationsverarbeitung bis hin zu Prognosen über den weiteren Verlauf der Krankheit leiten. Der Einfluß dieser sozialen Repräsentatione…
Reduced intergroup differentiation as a result of self‐categorization in overlapping categories. A quasi‐experiment
A quasi‐experiment was conducted to examine the effects of self‐categorization in overlapping categories on intergroup differentiation. ‘Old aged women’ was used as the first, ‘sports’ as the additional category. It could be shown that intergroup differentiation was significantly reduced under crossed categorization conditions. Implications for social compensation strategies are discussed
Daily drinking and harm
Most guidelines on low-risk drinking suggest at least one day per week with no alcohol (e.g., Ashley et al., 1994; British Medical Association, 1995). The ARF-CCSA joint policy statement based on the International Symposium on Moderate Drinking and Health states explicitly: 6. To minimize any risk of dependence, there should be at least one day per week when no alcohol is consumed. (Ashley et al., 1994) The only reason given is that many studies …
Alcohol consumption and the liability of offenders in the German criminal system
The recent Canadian criminal case of Daviault v. R. with its subsequent decision handed down by the Supreme Court has sparked a substantial discussion around the issue of liability of offenders in a state of intoxication at the time of offense. The critical question involves whether offenders-finding themselves in a state of altered consciousness due to the intake and effects of psychoactive substances-can be held legally responsible for the act …
The development of AA in a country with an existing outpatient layperson help system
Patterns of drinking and harm
Based on exemplary papers presented at the “International Conference on Social and Health Effects of Different Drinking Patterns,” characteristics of current research on patterns of drinking and harm are presented. These characteristics include a new focus on such outcomes as social harms, benefits and casualties, and better conceptualization and measurement of patterns. A conceptual scheme for future research is proposed to integrate the various…
Patterns of alcohol consumption and psychiatric disorders among Ontario adults
This study examined the relationship between patterns of alcohol consumption, including problem drinking, and psychiatric disorders in the general population. The paper utilizes data on 8,116 adults age 15–64 living in households who were interviewed for the Ontario Health Survey and the Mental Health Supplement. The University of Michigan Composite International Diagnostic Interview (UM-CIDI) was administered by trained lay interviewers to gener…
The Case for a Heroin Substitution Treatment Trial in Canada
Alcoholics Anonymous as a Mutual-Help Movement
This collaborative study offers a look at Alcoholics Anonymous as a social movement, a belief system, a model for small group interactions and an international phenomenon. It covers what happens at an AA meeting, how members interact and how it fits into varying cultural traditions
The cost of alcohol-attributable injuries and poisonings in Canada, 1992
Alcohol-related injuries and poisonings are estimated to have caused 1.7% (3,359) of all deaths, 4.0% (123,119) of all corresponding potential years of life lost, 1.1% (38,687) of all hospitalizations, and 1.3% (533,895) of hospital days in Canada in 1992. The cost of these injuries is estimated to have been $3.9 billion, using a societal point of view and the human capital method of valuing forgone productivity. Leading causes of these human and…
Morbidity and mortality attributable to alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use in Canada
OBJECTIVES: This study estimated morbidity and mortality attributable to substance abuse in Canada. METHODS: Pooled estimates of relative risk were used to calculate etiologic fractions by age, gender, and province for 91 causes of disease or death attributable to alcohol, tobacco, or illicit drugs. RESULTS: There were 33,498 deaths and 208,095 hospitalizations attributed to tobacco, 6701 deaths and 86,076 hospitalizations due to alcohol, and 732…
Low-risk Drinking Guidelines
Comparing Opiate Users in Methadone Treatment with Untreated Opiate Users
Predictors of Health Risk Behaviours Among Young Adults
Do Ontarians Drink in Moderation? A Baseline Assessment Against Canadian Low Risk Drinking Guidelines
Social costs of untreated opioid dependence
Beyond Ischemic Heart Disease
Evidence is growing that alcohol consumption confers health benefits beyond protection from ischemic heart disease. We review this evidence with regard to cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, cholelithiasis (gallstones), cognitive functioning, and stress reduction and subjective psychosocial benefits. Other possible benefits are briefly considered. The weight of evidence suggests that low-level alcohol consumption offer…
Alcohol and All-Cause Mortality
Reviewing 59 studies of the risk curve for alcohol consumption level and all-cause mortality, a general J-shaped curve is confirmed, particularly in cohorts with experience starting at middle age (rather than in youth or old age). The divergence in most studies that are exceptions to this rule can be plausibly explained. A pooled analysis of studies with cohorts age 45 and above at entry shows the most beneficial effect for women in a drinking ca…
Some Reflections on the Relationship of Risk, Harm and Responsibility in Recent Tobacco Lawsuits, and Implications for Public Health
No Protective Effect of Alcohol Consumption on Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) in African Americans
The association between average volume of drinking and coronary heart disease (CHD) morbidity and mortality in African Americans compared with whites was explored, based on a representative US sample. A prospective cohort study with interview follow-up after 10 years and outcome follow-up over about 15 years was used. The sample consisted of 1,158 African Americans and 6,607 whites, all 40 years of age and older with no history of heart disease a…
Safer Injection Facilities (SIFs) for Injection Drug Users (IDUs) in Canada
Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity
From a public health perspective, alcohol is no ordinary consumer product. On a global level, it is a major contributor to disease, disability, and premature mortality. It also has an adverse impact on many aspects of social life. Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity – Research and Public Policy describes recent advances in alcohol research that have direct relevance for the development of effective alcohol policies at the local, national and internati…
The relationship of average volume of alcohol consumption and patterns of drinking to burden of disease
Aims As part of a larger study to estimate the global burden of disease attributable to alcohol: to quantify the relationships between average volume of alcohol consumption, patterns of drinking and disease and injury outcomes, and to combine exposure and risk estimates to determine regional and global alcohol‐attributable fractions (AAFs) for major disease and injury categories. Design, methods, setting Systematic literature reviews were used to…
Medicine (212 works) · Environmental health (162 works) · Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes (159 works) · Psychiatry (107 works) · Population (95 works) · Psychology (92 works) · Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects (90 works) · Alcohol (80 works) · Public health (79 works) · Demography (71 works)