Overview
- New prescriptions climbed roughly 28% per year from 2020 to 2023 after rising about 7% annually from 2015 to 2019.
- Adult females experienced the steepest increases, up 421% for ages 25–44 and 369% for ages 18–24.
- By 2023, several female age groups surpassed males in use, including 6.7% of women 18–24 versus 5.2% of men with a prescription in the past year.
- The study analyzed data for more than 15 million Ontario residents and found 591,224 people—about 4%—had at least one stimulant prescription.
- Researchers caution that appropriateness could not be assessed and warn of potential harms, underscoring the need for clear guidance and monitoring.