NCJ Number
209434
Date Published
April 2005
Length
138 pages
Annotation
This report summarizes the results of Australia's 2004 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, which asked approximately 30,000 Australians ages 12 years and older about their knowledge of and attitudes toward drugs, their drug consumption histories, and related behaviors.
Abstract
The survey found that almost half of Australians ages 14 years and over had smoked 100 cigarettes or the equivalent amount of tobacco at some time in their lives, but only 1 in 5 had smoked in the last 12 months. The proportion of this age group in the population who smoked daily declined 2 percent between 2001 and 2004, to 17.4 percent; the average age at which smokers began remained stable at 16 years old. Nine out of every 10 Australians ages 14 years and older had tried an alcoholic beverage at some time in their lives, and 83.6 percent had consumed alcohol in the 12 months before the survey. The proportion of the population that drank an alcoholic beverage daily remained stable at 8.9 percent between 2001 and 2004, as did the average age at which alcohol was first consumed (17 years old). Almost two in every five Australians had used an illicit drug at some time in their lives, and almost one in seven had used illicit drugs in the previous 12 months. Between 2001 and 2004, there was a decrease in the proportion of the population who had used an illicit drug in the past 12 months, from 16.9 percent to 15.3 percent. Recent marijuana/cannabis use declined from 12.9 percent to 11.3 percent between 2001 and 2004. The average age at which new users first tried illicit drugs increased to 19.4 years old. The most accessible illicit drugs were painkillers/analgesics and marijuana/cannabis. Driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of illicit drugs was reported by 3.3 percent of Australians ages 14 years or over. Almost 9 in every 10 Australians in this age group associated an illicit drug with some behavioral problem. 58 tables, 7 references, and appended survey questionnaire