More than 4 in 5 smokers aged 14-17 years obtained their tobacco
from shops and retail outlets according to a report released today
by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
Around a quarter of teenage smokers also said they 'paid cash'
to obtain tobacco, but not from a retail outlet.
Most Australians, however, supported 'stricter enforcement of
laws against supplying minors' as a measure to reduce the harm
associated with tobacco.
The report, 2001 National Drug Strategy Household Survey:
Detailed Findings, builds on summary results published earlier
this year.
It shows that more than 15% of teenagers aged 14-17 years
smoked. Among this group, two-thirds said that all or most of their
friends or acquaintances smoked.
Similarly, three-quarters of under-age drinkers said that all or
most of their friends drank alcohol.
Across all age ranges about 1 in 12 Australians reported
drinking at levels considered risky or high-risk for harm in both
the short term and long term.
A third of Australians who were at risk of short- or long-term
harm reduced the amount drunk per session, with health reasons
being the main motivating factor.
In the last 12 months, three in 10 Australians had been verbally
abused, physically abused or put in fear by someone affected by
alcohol. People who had consumed alcohol in the past 12 months were
more likely to have been victims of alcohol-related incidents than
those who had not consumed alcohol.
Around 2 in 5 Australians aged 14 years and over had tried an
illicit drug at some time in their life. The average age of first
use of illicit substances was 17 years for inhalants (such as
petrol and glue), 19 years for cannabis, and 21 years for
heroin.
Cannabis was the most common illicit drug used in Australia,
with 2.0 million people (12.9%) using in the past 12 months. Of
these, 39% used at least once per week.
Other illicits such as hallucinogens, amphetamines and ecstasy
were used in the last 12 months by 3% or less of the population,
and heroin was used by around 0.2%.
19 December 2002
Further information (co-authors):
Jacki Grau, AIHW, tel. 0408 417 340, or Nicola Tatham,
AIHW,
tel. 0407 915 851
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, AIHW,
tel. 02 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for details.