NCJ Number
53517
Journal
JOURNAL OF DRUG ABUSE Volume: 7 Issue: 4 Dated: (FALL 1977) Pages: 311-318
Date Published
1977
Length
8 pages
Annotation
A STATISTICAL OVERVIEW OF DRUG ABUSE IN AUSTRALIA, BASED ON REPORTS OF DRUG OFFENSE CHARGES GATHERED BY THE COMMONWEALTH POLICE FORCE'S CENTRAL CRIME INTELLIGENCE OFFICE, IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
THE STATISTICS SHOW AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DETECTED DRUG OFFENSES AND OFFENDERS FROM 1970 THROUGH 1975. THE GREATEST PROPORTION OF OFFENSES INVOLVED CANNABIS IN SOME FORM, PRIMARILY MARIHUANA. HOWEVER, THERE HAS BEEN A CONSIDERABLE INCREASE (178 PERCENT FROM 1974 TO 1975) IN THE NUMBER OF OFFENSES INVOLVING HEROIN, PARTICULARLY AMONG PERSONS AGED 19 OR YOUNGER. AMPHETAMINE ABUSE DECLINED RADICALLY FOLLOWING AN EMBARGO ON PRESCRIPTION OF AMPHETAMINES OR RELATED COMPOUNDS BY PHYSICIANS. THE DRUG METHAQUALONE (MANDRAX) IS BECOMING MORE WIDELY ABUSED. THE AVERAGE AUSTRALIAN DRUG OFFENDER IS MALE, AGED 19-22 YEARS, UNEMPLOYED OR EMPLOYED IN AN UNSKILLED OR SEMISKILLED OCCUPATION, LIVING IN A LARGE CITY, INVOLVED WITH A NUMBER OF FRIENDS OR ASSOCIATES WHO ALSO USE DRUGS, AND LIKELY TO BE INVOLVED PRIMARILY WITH CANNABIS. MARIHUANA OFFENDERS GENERALLY ARE NOT CHARGED WITH OFFENSES INVOLVING OTHER DRUGS. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT, IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT AUSTRALIANS ARE CONSUMING INCREASINGLY LARGE AMOUNTS OF DRUGS IN THE FORM OF ALCOHOL, NICOTINE, MINOR ANALGESICS, AND TRANQUILIZERS, IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT CONSUMPTION OF ILLICIT DRUGS IS ALSO INCREASING. DIFFICULTIES IN COLLECTING, PROCESSING, AND INTERPRETING DRUG ABUSE STATISTICS ARE NOTED; E.G., MULTIPLE CHARGES ARISING FROM INVOLVEMENT WITH ONE DRUG TYPE, SINGLE CHARGES ARISING FROM INVOLVEMENT WITH MULTIPLE DRUG TYPES, AND LACK OF COMPREHENSIVE DATA ON THE CONTENT AND AMOUNT OF SUBSTANCES SEIZED. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)