Drug Statistics
How Quickly Do Drug Trends Shift in Australia:
The Dark Side of a Growing Culture
Faster than you might think.
From environmental factors impacting supply and demand to personal struggles fueling self-medication, the landscape of substance use is constantly evolving.
In this article, we dive into the intricate world of illicit drugs in Australia, unpacking key facts and trends to help you understand this complex issue.
Drug use in Australia
-
43% of people over 14 have used drugs illicitly at some point in their life
-
15% of people over 14 have used at least one illicit drug in the past year.
-
Overall drug use has risen by 14% since 2007.
Synthetic Cannabis
Coming Soon
Cannabis (THC)
Data reveals the most popular drug in Australia, with 11.6% of over-14s having used it. The typical user age has also shifted, from 26 in 2001 to 31 now.
Interestingly, regional consumption surpasses that of capital cities, with highest averages in regional NSW, the Northern Territory, and South Australia. Among capital cities, Canberra and selected areas in South Australia and Tasmania boast the highest usage.
Methamphetamine (Meth)
Methamphetamine may have lost its peak of 2001, but it's back on the rise, especially the potent "Ice" form.
While total use dropped slightly, Ice saw a resurgence in 2022.
Get this: consumption varies wildly across Australia, with some regional hotspots in Queensland, NSW, and South Australia hitting levels 4-5 times the national average! That's way more than even bustling capital cities.
MDMA/Ecstacy
MDMA use continues to be relatively low, according to the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program.
This may potentially be due to a shift in production by drug manufacturers towards methamphetamine.
Interestingly, while the majority of users remain within the 20-29 age group, a rise in use has been observed among individuals aged 40 and above.
Cocaine
Urban Australia boasts a significantly higher cocaine use rate compared to regional areas, with a two-fold difference. Notably, 16.8% of the population aged 14 and over have used cocaine at least once, a substantial increase from 10.1% in 2016. However, the recent decline in use is primarily attributed to limited supply, rather than a decrease in demand.
Oxycodone & Fentanyl
Oxycodone consumption across Australia in April 2022 exhibited significant regional variations.
Notably, average consumption in regional areas substantially exceeded that of capital cities. Tasmanian capital city sites, the Australian Capital Territory, and a specific capital city site in South Australia displayed markedly higher oxycodone consumption compared to the national average.
Steroids
Coming Soon
Opioids
Coming Soon
Heroin
Coming Soon
For more information, please see:
Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, 2022, National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program, Report #17, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, Canberra, viewed 25 January 2023, https://www.acic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-10/national_wastewater_drug_monitoring_program_report_17.pdf
For more information, please see:
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2020, National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2019, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Canberra, viewed 25 January 2023, https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/77dbea6e-f071-495c-b71e-3a632237269d/aihw-phe-270.pdf.aspx?inline=true