Rising harms in Canadian youth: CPSP results highlight severe e-scooter trauma | Links between drug toxicities and mental health

OTTAWA – The Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program (CPSP) has released its 2025 Annual Report, highlighting findings from national surveillance studies and surveys that monitor rare conditions and emerging concerns of public health importance affecting children and youth in Canada.

Drawing on reports submitted by approximately 2,700 paediatricians and paediatric subspecialists across the country, the CPSP 2025 Annual Report covers a broad range of important paediatric health issues. The following examples highlight two timely studies examining serious injuries and deaths associated with e-scooters and e-bikes, and life-threatening harms related to illicit or non-medical drug use among adolescents in Canada.

Survey reveals serious paediatric injuries and deaths from e-scooters and e-bikes

A one-time survey revealed a significant number of severe injuries and deaths in youth resulting from the use of powered personal mobility devices (PPMDs), which include e-scooters and e-bikes. In 2025, 57 cases were reported, including 10 deaths, 12 intensive care unit admissions, and 26 prolonged hospitalizations.

"This national survey provides some of the first Canadian paediatric data showing that micromobility devices, specifically e-scooters, are associated with fatalities and significant morbidity. Given recent trends, this is likely an underrepresentation of true cases and requires that we remain vigilant and continue to advocate for safer use of these devices," said Dr. Daniel Rosenfield, chair of the Canadian Paediatric Society's Injury Prevention Committee and a researcher on the survey.

The survey shows that:

• Head injuries were most common, accounting for 47 per cent of all cases, and neurosurgery was the most common surgical intervention required.
• Most cases involved an e-scooter used recreationally on public roads, sidewalks or pathways, typically by a single rider operating without a helmet or adult supervision.

The results emphasize a critical need for standardized policies and regulations. Alongside policy reform, there must be a strong focus on public education to raise awareness about risks, legal requirements, and essential safety practices like helmet use and age restrictions.

Mental health conditions common among youth experiencing severe drug toxicity events

Early surveillance data from one of the multi-year surveillance studies underway indicates high rates of mental health comorbidities among youth presenting with severe substance-related harms. Toxic drug poisoning remains the leading cause of death for adolescents in British Columbia and continues to be a public health crisis across the country. 

Key findings from the study include:

• Every patient who met the case definition was diagnosed with at least one concurrent mental health disorder, and 64 per cent suffered from multiple conditions; primarily mood, anxiety and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders.
• Among patients who underwent formal drug screenings, fentanyl or other high-potency opioids were detected in every case, with amphetamines and THC each appearing in almost half of positive screens.
• Polysubstance exposure was reported in 64 per cent of patients, with 71 per cent requiring immediate naloxone reversal and 86 per cent requiring inpatient hospital admission.

“While this study is still in its early stages, the high rates of mental health conditions and polysubstance use we are seeing point to a severe level of risk to young lives,” said Dr. Nicholas Chadi, one of the study’s principal investigators. “Our goal is to gather the data needed to develop effective interventions to reduce harms and save lives.”

Other highlights from the CPSP 2025 results include:

• Adverse events related to virtual care: The final report of a two-year study evaluating paediatric virtual care found that adverse events (such as delayed or incorrect diagnoses due to a lack of physical exams) remain relatively infrequent, supporting the continued provision of virtual medicine alongside clear safety guidelines.
• Serious and life-threatening events associated with cannabis: This multi-year study continues to show high rates of unintentional poisoning with cannabis in young children. 69 per cent of the events were reported as being unintentional ingestions in children and of these reported cases, 79 per cent were under 5 years of age, and more than 50% of the total cases reported. This data highlights the continued need for public education of parents to keep these substances securely locked up when not in use.

—30—