New report finds concerning levels of alcohol-related harms

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has just released the latest National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS).

The survey is done every 3 years, and collects information related to alcohol and other drug (AOD) use in Australia.

It’s the largest survey of its kind in Australia, and covers a range of topics including people’s:

• drinking and other drug use
• experiences of AOD harms
• views on AOD related policies.

Here, we unpack the latest findings, insights, and trends from the report.

Support for drug law reform

The survey asks people about their attitudes towards health-based approaches to AOD.

Since the last survey, conducted in 2019, public support for policies aimed at reducing drug-related harm has risen, with support for drug checking (pill testing) increasing from 57% in 2019, to 64% in 2022-23.¹

And most people now support supervised injecting/consumption rooms, with 53% in favor, compared to 47% in 2019.

Support for legalisation of personal use of cannabis also increased to 45%, and for the first time was higher than support for increasing penalties for sale or supply.

Belief that the possession of cannabis shouldn’t be a criminal offence also reached an all-time high of 80%.

The survey also found that the decriminalisation of cannabis in the ACT in 2020 didn’t lead to an increase in cannabis use in the following year.

Less young people are smoking, but more are vaping

The survey looks at rates of tobacco smoking and use of e-cigarettes (vapes).

Smoking rates continued to decrease, and daily smoking among young people aged 18-24 years dropped to 5.9% in 2022-23.

But young people are vaping more. For those aged 18-24:

• use of vapes in the past year has increased from 5.3% in 2019, to 21% in 2022-23.
• 9.3% now report vaping daily.

And for teens aged 14-17, the proportion who’ve vaped in the previous 12 months increased significantly - from 1.8% in 2019, to almost 1 in 10 (9.7%) in 2022-23.

Overall, 3.5% of 14-17-year-olds reported vaping daily, with use in this age bracket higher for females:

• 13.5% of girls used a vape in the past year, compared to 7.1% of boys
• 5.7% of girls vaped daily, compared to 1.8% of boys.

The main reason young people said they used vapes was ‘out of curiosity’.

And across the population, those from higher socioeconomic areas were more likely to vape, while those from lower socioeconomic areas were more likely to smoke cigarettes.

Most people (87%) who’d used nicotine vapes reported getting them without the required prescription.

People who were experiencing high or very high levels of psychological distress were also 4.¹ times as likely to have vaped in the past year, compared to those with low levels.

Alcohol-related harms

The report highlighted trends in risky drinking - defined by the national guidelines as having more than 10 standard drinks per week, or more than 4 in a day.² In 2022-23:

• 31% of the population reported drinking at risky levels
• around 1 in 4 had more than 10 standard drinks per week, on average.

Risky drinking increases the risk of harms - such as injuries, illnesses, and diseases like cancer.²

The report also found 1 in 5 people over 14 reported experiencing harms from someone else’s drinking – including verbal or physical abuse.

The number of women who experienced harms from someone else’s drinking increased from 2.2 million in 2019, to 2.4 million in 2022-23.

Women were also 1.6 times more likely than men to have been put in fear by someone under the influence of alcohol.

While drinking levels among males remain stable, recent drinking increased among females aged 14–17, from 28% in 2019 to 35% in 2022–23.

And the number of young women, aged 18-24, drinking at risky levels increased from 35% in 2019, to 40% in 2022-23.

Other drugs

Generally, use of illicit drugs was similar to 2019, but there were some changes for hallucinogens (psychedelics) in 2022-23.

The percentage of people (14+) reporting use of psychedelics in the past year increased from 1.6% in 2019, to 2.4% in 2022-23.

And the most commonly used psychedelic changed from LSD (2019) to mushrooms/psilocybin (2022–2023).

The survey didn’t look at medical use of psilocybin, as data was collected before the regulation changes came into effect in July last year.

Use of MDMA decreased between the two survey report periods, but this is likely temporary, and related to COVID19 impacts.

Among young women, drug use appears to be increasing.

For the first time, women aged 18–24 were as likely to have used illicit drugs in the past year as men of the same age.

In 2022-23, 35% of women reported past year use of illicit drugs, up from 27% in 2019.

Use in the past year among females aged 14 and older increased for:

• cannabis: from 8.6% in 2019, to 9.8% in 2022-23
• cocaine: from 3.0% to 3.7%.

And there was also a rise in high-risk cannabis use among women – from around 1.8% in 2019, to 4.8% in 2022-23. Here, high-risk use means someone might be experiencing dependence (addiction).^1,3

Drinking and drug use demographics

The report also looks at levels of AOD use in different socioeconomic areas. These areas are ranked according to things like average income, educational attainment, and unemployment rate.

In 2022-23, people living in the lowest socioeconomic areas were the least likely to drink at risky levels (27%).

And those living in the most advantaged areas were more likely to have used illicit drugs in the past year, compared to those in more disadvantaged areas.

For example, they were:

• 6.1 times more likely to have recently used hallucinogens
• 3.9 times more likely to have recently used cocaine.

What can the survey findings tell us?

The survey information provides an overview of Australian’s AOD use, attitudes and experience of related harms.

Knowing more about AOD in Australia can inform better responses to prevent and reduce harm.

And having a better understanding of attitudes towards AOD use and harm prevention can show governments and health services where levels of public support for implementing evidence-based approaches, such as pill testing, exist.

To find out more about how the survey data is collected and other findings, visit the AIHW website.

To read the Alcohol and Drug Foundation’s media release visit our website.

Help and support

If you’re worried about your own, or someone else’s drinking or other drug use, there’s help and support available:

• National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline: 1800 250 015
  A 24/7 telephone service where you can chat about your alcohol and other drug use, and treatment and referral options .
• Path2Help: the Alcohol and Drug Foundation’s free, online platform that helps you find alcohol or other drug services near you.
• Family Drug Support (NSW, QLD, NT, ACT): 1300 368 186
  A 24/7 national telephone service for families and friends who are impacted by a loved one’s alcohol and other drug use.
• Family Drug Help (VIC, TAS, SA): 1300 660 068
  A 24/7 national telephone service for families and friends who are impacted by a loved one’s alcohol and other drug use.
• Parent and Family Drug Support Line (WA): Metro (08 9442 5050) Regional (1800 653 203)