View data tables >
An illicit drug is defined as any drug which is illegal to possess or use or any legal drug used in an illegal manner (AIHW 2020). The proportion of people who had used an illicit drug in their lifetime has been gradually increasing in Australia since 2001 (Figure HARM2). In 2019, 43% of people aged 14 and over in Australia had illicitly used a drug at some point in their lifetime and 16.4% had done so in the last 12 months (AIHW 2020, tables 4.2 and 4.6).
Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug in Australia (AIHW 2020, Table 4.2), which is consistent with international data. The latest World Drug Report indicates that in 2020:
- Cannabis was used in the past year by more than 4.0% of the global population aged 15-64 (209 million people). According to qualitative assessments, cannabis cultivation has trended upward for a decade.
- Cannabis legalisation in parts across the world appears to have accelerated daily use and related health impacts (UNDOC 2022).
For detailed information on the harms, availability and consumption of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs in Australia, please see the separate section for each of the Drug types.
Treatment
Alcohol and other drug treatment services assist people to address their substance use through a range of treatments. Treatment objectives can include reduction, stabilisation or cessation of substance use, as well as improving health and social wellbeing. Treatment services can include:
- support monitoring and case management/care co-ordination
- withdrawal management and rehabilitation programs
- brief interventions, counselling and group therapy including relapse prevention and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
- pharmacotherapy treatments (AIHW 2021).
The Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services National Minimum Data Set (AODTS NMDS) provides information on treatment provided to clients by publicly funded AOD treatment services, including government and non-government organisations. In 2020–21, AOD treatment services provided 243,000 treatment episodes, a 2.3% increase from 2019–20 (AIHW 2022).
Client engagement with a treatment service is limited by the accessibility of the service. The location of a service is a factor which impacts accessibility, particularly for clients who live in Remote and Very remote areas. In 2016–17, just under two-thirds (61%) of closed treatment episodes were provided to clients whose last known place of residence was outside the geographical area in which the treatment agency was located (AIHW 2019).