Pharmaceuticals: client demographics and treatment

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In 2023–24, pharmaceuticals were reported as a drug of concern (either principal or additional) in 12% of all treatment episodes (25,260) (Table Drg.87).

  • Pharmaceuticals were the principal drug of concern in 5.9% of treatment episodes (13,023) (Table Drg.87).
  • As a proportion, relative to all drugs of concern, pharmaceuticals have remained relatively stable from 5.9% of treatment episodes in 2014–15 (9,577) dropping to 4.5% in 2019–20 then steadily increasing to 5.9% in 2023–24.

In the 10 years to 2023–24, pharmaceuticals transitioned from being reported as an additional drug of concern to being reported as a principal drug of concern:

  • The proportion of episodes with pharmaceuticals as a principal drug of concern remained the same as the previous year at 5.9%, where it was reported as an additional drug of concern, episodes increased from 4.9% to 5.6% (Table Drg.87).
  • However, in 2022–23  the proportion of episodes with pharmaceuticals as a principal drug of concern overtook those with pharmaceuticals as an additional drug of concern .

The most common additional drugs of concern reported with pharmaceuticals were amphetamines (29%, 2,316 episodes), cannabis (18%, 1,391) and alcohol (14%, 1,074) (Table Drg.88). Clients can nominate up to 5 additional drugs of concern, these drugs are not necessarily the subject of any treatment within the episode.

Classification of pharmaceutical drugs in the AODTS NMDS

Pharmaceuticals are drugs that are available from a pharmacy – over the counter or by prescription – including opioids (such as codeine and oxycodone) and benzodiazepines (such as diazepam). Some pharmaceutical drug use is for non-medical purposes (Department of Health 2017). 

Pharmaceuticals are not listed as a broad drug group in the Australian Standard Classification of Drugs of Concern (ASCDC) classification. In the AODTS NMDS report, the ‘pharmaceuticals’ drug classification includes the following 10 drug types: codeine, morphine, buprenorphine, oxycodone, methadone, benzodiazepines, steroids, other opioids, other analgesics, and other sedatives and hypnotics. Refer to the Technical notes and Key terminology and glossary for more information.

For information on pharmaceutical drug use and harms, please see:

Pharmaceuticals by drug type

In 2023–24, 63% of pharmaceutical drug-related treatment episodes (8,144) were for opioids and benzodiazepines as the principal drug of concern (PDOC) (Table Drg.87). ‘Opioids’ includes codeine, morphine, buprenorphine, oxycodone, methadone, and other opioids.

  • Opioids were a principal drug of concern in 2.4% of all treatment episodes and an additional drug of concern in 1.1% (5,265 and 2,396, respectively).
    • Buprenorphine (2,018 episodes), methadone (841) and oxycodone (856) were the most common principal drug types recorded in opioid-related treatment episodes.
  • Benzodiazepine was a principal drug of concern in 1.3% of treatment episodes and listed as an additional drug of concern in 2.1% (2,879 and 4,529, respectively).

Over the 10 years to 2023–24:

  • The number of treatment episodes for opioids peaked at 7,486 in 2015–16 before falling to 4,722 in 2021–22 and rising to 5,265 in 2023–24.
  • The number of treatment episodes for benzodiazepines as a principal drug of concern fell from 1,963 in 2014–15 to 1,727 in 2015–16, before steadily rising to its highest level in 2022–23 (3,354), then falling to 2,879 in 2023–24 (Figure PHARMS 1, Table Drg.87).

Figure PHARMS 1: Treatment episodes with pharmaceuticals as the principal drug of concern, by selected principal drugs of concern, 2014–15 to 2023–24

Line graph shows the number of episodes with pharmaceutical drugs as the principal drug of concern relative to other pharmaceutical drugs, and other principal drugs of concern from 2014–15 to 2023–24. Data is filtered by episodes and per cent.

Line graph shows the number of episodes with pharmaceutical drugs as the principal drug of concern relative to other pharmaceutical drugs, and other principal drugs of concern from 2014–15 to 2023–24. Data is filtered by episodes and per cent.

Client demographics

In 2023–24, 7,344 clients received treatment for any pharmaceutical drug as the principal drug of concern (Table SC.30).

Of these clients:

  • 3 in 5 were male (61%). The proportion of male clients receiving treatment for a pharmaceutical principal drug of concern ranged from 43% for other sedatives and hypnotics to 81% for both steroids or buprenorphine (Table SC.30).
  • 1 in 2 clients were aged either 20–29 (26%) or 30–39 (32%). The proportion of clients in each age group varied by PDOC:
    • Clients receiving treatment for benzodiazepines had the highest proportion of people aged 10–19 (11%).
    • Most clients receiving treatment for opioids were aged either 30–39 or 40–49, ranging from 53% for oxycodone to 64% for buprenorphine (Table SC.31).
  • 1 in 7 were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) people (16% of clients). The proportion of First Nations clients was highest for buprenorphine (29% of clients) (Table SC.32).

 Treatment

In 2023–24, around 13,023 treatment episodes were provided to clients for pharmaceuticals as the principal drug of concern (Table Drg.87).

  • The most common source of referral into treatment included health services (39% of episodes) and self/family (38%). This was relatively consistent across drug types, but diversion was the most common referral into treatment for steroid-related treatment episodes (35%) (Table Drg.90).
  • The most common main treatment types were assessment only (32% of episodes) and counselling (19%) (Figure PHARMS 2, Table Drg.89).
  • Most episodes took place in non-residential treatment facilities (72%), and this was the most common treatment setting across pharmaceutical drug types (Figure PHARMS 2, Table Drg.92).
  • 3 in 5 treatment episodes ended with a planned completion (58%), ranging from 53% for other sedatives and hypnotics as the PDOC to 71% for steroids. One in 6 episodes ended unexpectedly (17%) (Figure PHARMS 2, Table Drg.91).

Figure PHARMS 2: Treatment episodes with selected pharmaceutical drugs as the principal drug of concern, by main treatment type, treatment delivery setting or reason for cessation, 2023–24

The stacked horizontal bar chart shows  the number of episodes with pharmaceutical drugs as the principal drug of concern for main treatment type, reason for cessation, and treatment delivery setting in 2023–24. Data is filtered by episodes and per cent.

The stacked horizontal bar chart shows  the number of episodes with pharmaceutical drugs as the principal drug of concern for main treatment type, reason for cessation, and treatment delivery setting in 2023–24. Data is filtered by episodes and per cent.
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