Drug use in Canada is prevalent to non-existent depending on what you define as a "drug." Eleven per cent of the Canadian population "has a problem with drugs or alcohol" according to a CBC survey, but this does not include people who use drugs recreationally without "a problem." That number, especially when you include alcohol and cannabis, is much, much higher, and if you include only people with classically-defined addictions to the illicit drugs, such as crack cocaine and heroin, the number is much, much lower.
In general, the way insurance companies approach drug issues is based on two major questions: is the potential client using prescription drugs provided through the proper channels, or are they using drugs outside those channels, and therefore statistically vulnerable to certain liabilities.
For the former, these questions are often discovered in the background checks and medical questionnaires provided by insurance companies prior to developing or offering a policy. Naturally,
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Usually, insurance companies are hesitant to provide policies, many are even wary of providing low-cost options for people who smoke cigarettes.
Luckily, there are some options still available for drug users, especially those who use illicit drugs. Remember, many policies will not cover complications that occur because of illicit drug use, and not disclosing such information when asked can constitute insurance fraud, which can be a severe crime that includes heavy fines and possible jail time.
In general, illicit drug users have only one option when it comes to life insurance opportunities: simplified life insurance policies that do not require medical questionnaires. This is changing as more and more insurance providers offer products specifically designed for the "hard-to-insure" market. Simplified insurance plans often require only simple medical questions that do not include questions about drug