The image that Australians are high consumers of tobacco and
alcohol is fading, according to a report released today by the
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. On the international
league table, Australia dropped from 10th place in 1986 to 17th in
1996 for per capita consumption of cigarettes. This equates to
every Australian smoking on average 700 fewer cigarettes each a
year. Australia ranked 20th for per capita consumption of alcohol
in 1995-96.
Statistics on Drug Use in Australia shows that on
average each adult Australian spent $337 on tobacco in 1996-97, and
smoked 2,017 cigarettes a year. This compares with top-ranked
Greece on 3,474 cigarettes, followed by Japan on 3,193.
Per capita expenditure for 1995-96 on alcohol was $717.
Australia ranked 9th on per capita consumption of beer (95 litres
per person), compared with the Czech Republic on top at 160 litres
per person. On wine and spirits consumption, Australia ranked 17th
(18 litres per person) and 30th (1 litre per person) respectively.
This equates to an estimated per capita alcohol consumption of 7.5
litres of pure alcohol per person. Luxembourg ranked first with
11.8 litres of pure alcohol per person, followed by Portugal with
11.2 litres per person.
Around 22% of Australians aged 14 years or more smoked on a
daily basis in 1998, slightly lower than the rates over the rest of
the decade. Daily smoking was most prevalent in the 20-29 year age
group for both men and women in 1998.
Daily consumption of alcohol was usual for about 10% of
Australians aged 14 years and over in 1998, a result unchanged from
the previous 7 years. Daily drinking was most common among men and
women aged 60 years or more.
According to co-author of the report, Mark Cooper-Stanbury,
Australians continue to disapprove of both the regular use and
legalisation of illicit drugs, although approximately one quarter
think regular use of marijuana is acceptable.
'And 80% of Australians support increased penalties for the
supply of hard illicit drugs, with 60% also supporting increased
penalties for the supply of marijuana,' Mr Cooper-Stanbury said.
'Marijuana remained the most widely used illicit drug in Australia
in 1998, with 44% of males and 35% of females reporting use at some
time in their lives.'
Other findings in Statistics on Drug Use in Australia
include:
- Almost 23,000 Australian deaths in 1997 were attributable to
drug use. Of these, 18,224 deaths were tobacco-related, 3,668 were
alcohol-related and 832 deaths were related to illicit drug
use.
- Most deaths in all age groups (except those aged 15-34 years)
were attributable to tobacco. For those aged 15-34 years, 9% of
deaths were tobacco-related, with 50% due to alcohol misuse and 42%
to illicit drug use.
28 April 2000
Further information: Mark Cooper-Stanbury,
AIHW, tel. 02 6289 7027, or Karl Higgins, Department of Health and
Aged Care, tel. 02 6289 8416.
For media copies of the report: Publications Officer,
tel. 02 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for availability.