Overview

The consumption of alcohol is widespread within Australia and entwined with many social and cultural activities. However, harmful levels of consumption are a major health issue, associated with increased risk of chronic disease, injury and premature death.

More reports and statistics on alcohol can be found under Alcohol & other drug treatment services, Illicit use of drugs and Smoking.

Latest findings

Self-reported levels of psychological distress are increasing among recent users of tobacco and illicit drugs Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in Australia Smoking and drinking rates are down among gay, lesbian and bisexual people. Between 2016 and 2019, the proportion of people who had ever used e-cigarettes rose from 8.8% to 11.3%. Non-medical pharmaceutical use is down, driven by a fall in use of pain-killers. Between 2016 and 2019, the proportion of ex-drinkers rose from 7.6% to 8.9%. The non-medical use of pharmaceutical drugs is an increasing public health problem in Australia The proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who smoke has declined significantly Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable burden in Australia There is a strong link between problematic alcohol or other drug use and experiences of homelessness Over the past 50 years, levels of apparent consumption of different alcoholic beverages changed substantially Smoking rates increase with socioeconomic disadvantage, but illicit drug use highest in the most advantaged areas. Australians are increasingly supportive of cannabis use and most support pill-testing. In 2019, 43% of Australians had illicitly used a drug in their life and 16.4% had used one in the last 12 months. In 2019, 11.0% of Australians smoked tobacco daily, down from 12.2% in 2016 and 24% in 1991. People who inject drugs experience considerably poorer health outcomes than other drug users

Featured reports

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Highlights

1 in 6(17%) people consume alcohol at levels placing them at lifetime risk of an alcohol-related disease or injury
1 in 7(15%) people have consumed 11 or more standard drinks at least once in the previous 12 months
1 in 5(21%) Australians aged 14 and over reported being a victim of an alcohol-related incident in 2019. This has declined from 26% in 2013
1 in 4(25%) people have consumed alcohol at levels placing them at risk of harm on a single occasion, at least monthly
2 in 3 (66%) 14–17 year olds had never consumed a full standard drink—an increase from 28% in 2001
36%of drug treatment episodes in 2018–19 were primarily for alcohol, making it the most commonly treated drug in Australia