Summary
The 2010 National Drug Strategy Household Survey
The 2010 National Drug Strategy Household Survey was conducted between late-April and early-September 2010. This was the 10th survey in a series which began in 1985, and was the fifth to be managed by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). More than 26,000 people aged 12 years or older participated in the survey, in which they were asked about their knowledge of and attitudes towards drugs, their drug consumption histories, and related behaviours. Most of the analysis presented is of people aged 14 years or older, so that results can be compared with previous reports.
Use and attitudes
Tobacco
In 2010, the proportion of people aged 14 years or older smoking daily (15.1%) declined, continuing a downward trend that began in 1995. The decline in daily smoking was largest for those aged in their early-20s to mid-40s, while the proportion of those aged over 45 years who smoked daily remained relatively stable or slightly increased between 2007 and 2010. Despite the decline in the proportion of people in Australia smoking tobacco, the number of smokers has remained stable between 2007 and 2010, at about 3.3 million.
In the 12–17 years age group, girls were more likely to smoke daily than boys (3.2% to 1.8%). This was the only age group where females were more likely than males than to smoke daily.
Support for policies aimed at reducing harm caused by tobacco remained high in 2010. In particular, there were increasing levels of support for a rise in tax on tobacco products to pay for health education and to contribute to treatment costs.
Alcohol
The proportion of the population aged 14 years or older who consumed alcohol daily declined between 2007 (8.1%) and 2010 (7.2%). However, there was little change in the proportion of people drinking alcohol at levels that put them at risk of harm over their lifetime (20.3% in 2007 and 20.1% in 2010), or from a single drinking occasion at least once a month (28.7% in 2007 and 28.4% in 2010). As the Australian population has increased, the number of people drinking at risky levels increased between 2007 and 2010. Around 7% of recent drinkers changed their drink preference, shifting away from pre-mixed spirits; this preference was particularly evident for those aged less than 29 years.
There was higher support in 2010 (compared with 2007) given to alcohol measures related to venues, such as restricted trading and limiting the number of venues. Abstainers and those drinking at low‑risk levels were more likely than risky drinkers to support policies aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm.
Illicit drugs
Recent illicit drug use increased in 2010, mainly due to an increase in the proportion of people who had used cannabis (from 9.1% in 2007 to 10.3% in 2010), pharmaceuticals for non-medical purposes (3.7% to 4.2%), cocaine (1.6% to 2.1%) and hallucinogens (0.6% to 1.4%). However, recent ecstasy use decreased, and there was no change in the use of meth/amphetamines, heroin, ketamine, GHB, inhalants and injecting drug use.
Between 2007 and 2010, ecstasy and meth/amphetamines were perceived to be less readily available, with less opportunity to use, but cocaine, hallucinogens, painkillers/analgesics (both prescription and over-the-counter) and tranquilisers/sleeping pills for non-medical purposes were perceived to be more readily available.
Of all illicit drugs, community tolerance has increased for cannabis use, while people in Australia still consider heroin to be the drug most associated with a drug problem.
Population groups
Sex and age
Males were far more likely than females to use all drugs (both illicit and licit), except for pharmaceuticals which were used by a similar proportion of males and females. Females were considerably less likely than males to drink alcohol daily and in quantities that placed them at risk of harm. Females were also more likely than males to support measures aimed at reducing problems associated with drug use, and to support penalties for the sale and supply of illicit drugs.
Across Australia, those aged 18–29 years were the most likely to report using illicit drugs and drinking alcohol at risky levels in the previous 12 months. The proportion of 12–17-year-olds abstaining from alcohol increased in 2010. Those aged 40–49 years were most likely to smoke daily.
Other groups
Patterns of drug use differ by other population characteristics depending on the drug type of interest. In general, high proportions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people smoked tobacco, drank alcohol at risky levels and used cannabis in the last 12 months compared with non-Indigenous Australians, as did people living in the Northern Territory compared with other states/territories. People living in Remote and Very remote areas were more likely to smoke and drink at risky levels, but less likely to use illicit drugs such as cocaine compared with those in Major cities and Inner regional areas. Other differences were apparent for people who were unemployed, identified as homosexual/bisexual, did not have post-school qualifications, and were never married, as well as for students.
Attitudes
People who used drugs generally had a more accepting attitudes towards drugs, and were less likely to support measures to reduce harm. Recent drug users (both licit and illicit), males, and younger people were all more likely to support policies that legalised drugs, and to approve of regular drug use, and showed less support for measures aimed at reducing harm associated with drugs.
In 2010, as in previous years, excessive alcohol use was mentioned more often than other drugs as being the most serious concern to the community, followed by tobacco and heroin. The proportion of people nominating marijuana, alcohol and tobacco as a ‘drug problem’ all decreased, whereas the proportion nominating cocaine, hallucinogens and pain killers increased.
Health and harm
Health
Compared with non-smokers (never smoked or ex-smokers), smokers were: more likely to rate their health as being fair or poor; more likely to have asthma; twice as likely to have been diagnosed or treated for a mental illness; and more likely to report high or very high levels of psychological distress in the preceding 4-week period.
Recent drinkers who drank at levels that put them at risk of harm from a single occasion of drinking were 1.7 times as likely as low-risk drinkers (1.9%) to experience very high levels of psychological distress. A higher proportion had also been diagnosed with a mental illness (13.6% compared with 11.1%), however, the relationship between drug use and mental illness is complex.
Psychological distress and diagnoses or treatment for a mental illness continue to be highest among recent users of meth/amphetamines, ecstasy, cannabis, and cocaine.
Harm
In 2010, the proportion of pregnant women who smoked decreased after they found out they were pregnant (from 12.6% before realising they were pregnant to 8.1% after finding out).
The proportion of pregnant women abstaining from drinking alcohol increased in 2010 (from 40.0% in 2007 to 52.0% in 2010).
Between 2007 and 2010, the proportion of people experiencing incidents related to illicit drug use decreased. This was influenced by a decline in people being verbally abuse and being put in fear.
Driving was the most common risky activity included in the survey to be undertaken while under the influence of drugs, but this decreased in 2010.
In 2010, males continued to engage in more risky behaviours and activities than females while under the influence of illicit drugs or alcohol.
1Preliminary material: Acknowledgments; Questionnaire; Fieldwork; Funding; Abbreviations; Symbols
1. Introduction
- Background
- The National Drug Strategy
- About the 2010 survey
- About this report
- Contents
- Structure
- Alcohol risk
- Licit drugs – illicit use
- Presentation of estimates
- Population estimates
- Reliability of estimates
- Sampling error
- Non-sampling error
- Statistical significance
- Age-standardisation
2. Overview
- Drugs recently used
- Drugs ever used
- State and territory comparisons
- Recent use
- Age of initiation
- Ever used
- Average age of initiation, by age group
- Average age of initiation over time
- Availability of drugs
- Opportunity to use drugs
- Opportunity to use drugs, by age group
- Acceptance of the offer or opportunity to use drugs
- Concurrent (12-month) drug use
- Summary of drug use patterns
3. Tobacco
- Key findings
- Overall tobacco use
- Current use and trends over time
- Tobacco use, by sex
- Tobacco use, by age and sex
- Age comparisons over time
- Smoking status, by social characteristics
- State and territory comparisons
- Current use and trends over time
- State and territory comparisons, by sex
- State and territory comparisons, by age
- Tobacco and health
- Tobacco smoking-related behaviours
- Number of cigarettes smoked
- Mean number of cigarettes smoked, by characteristics
- Smoking during pregnancy
- Unbranded loose tobacco
- Counterfeit cigarettes
- Type of tobacco smoked
- Motivation to change smoking behaviour
- Changes to smoking behaviour
- Motivators for change to behaviour
- Environmental tobacco smoke
- Obtaining cigarettes
4. Alcohol
- Key findings
- Overall alcohol use
- Current use and trends over time
- Alcohol use, by sex
- Alcohol use, by age and sex
- Age comparisons over time
- Alcohol risk
- Risk of alcohol-related harm over a lifetime
- Risk of alcohol-related harm from a single drinking occasion
- Lifetime and single occasion risk over time
- Lifetime and single occasion risk
- Alcohol risk status, by social characteristics
- State and territory comparisons
- Current use and trends over time
- State and territory comparisons, by sex
- State and territory comparisons, by alcohol risk
- Lifetime risk
- Single occasion risk
- Alcohol and health and harm
- Perceptions of the health effects of alcohol, by risk status
- Alcohol-related health risk for males
- Alcohol-related health risk for females
- Victims of alcohol-related harm
- Victims of alcohol-related incidents, by alcohol consumption status
- Use of alcohol by victims
- Relationship of perpetrator to victims of alcohol-related incidents
- Injuries resulting from drug-related physical abuse
- Alcohol use during pregnancy
- Alcohol-induced memory lapse
- Perpetrators of alcohol-related harm
- Alcohol drinking-related behaviours
- Drink preferences
- Drink preferences, by age and sex
- Changes in drink preferences
- Reduction measures, by risk
- Reasons for reduction, by risk
- Usual source of supply
- Usual place of use
5. Illicit drugs overview
- Key findings
- Overall illicit drug use
- Current use and trends over time
- Illicit drug use, by age and sex
- Ever used illicit drugs
- Recent use of illicit drugs
- Age and sex comparisons over time
- Illicit drug use, by social characteristics
- State and territory comparisons
- Current use and trends over time
- State and territory comparisons, by age and sex
- Illicit drug use and health and harm
- Victims of drug-related harm
- Illicit drug taking behaviours
- Activities while under the influence of illicit drugs
- Source of supply of illicit drugs
- Use by friends and acquaintances
6. Cannabis
- Key findings
- Overall cannabis use
- Current use and trends over time
- Cannabis use, by sex
- Cannabis use, by age and sex
- Cannabis use, by social characteristics
- State and territory comparisons
- Current use and trends over time
- State and territory comparisons, by age and sex
- Cannabis and health
- Cannabis use-related behaviour
- Frequency of use
- Other drugs used with cannabis
- What form of cannabis was used?
- Source of supply
- Usual place of use
- Use by friends and acquaintances
7. Ecstasy
- Key findings
- Overall ecstasy use
- Current use and trends over time
- Ever used ecstasy
- Recent use of ecstasy
- Ecstasy use, by sex and age
- Ecstasy use, by social characteristics
- State and territory comparisons
- State and territory comparisons by age and sex
- Ecstasy use and health
- Ecstasy use-related behaviour
- Frequency of ecstasy use
- Source of supply of ecstasy
- Usual place of ecstasy use
8. Meth/amphetamines
- Key findings
- Overall meth/amphetamines use
- Current use and trends over time
- Use, by age and sex
- Meth/amphetamines use, social characteristics
- State and territory comparisons
- State and territory comparisons, by age and sex
- Meth/amphetamines use and health
- Meth/amphetamines use-related behaviour
- Frequency of meth/amphetamines use
- Form and quantity of meth/amphetamines used
- Source of supply of meth/amphetamines
- Usual place of meth/amphetamines use
9. Cocaine
- Key findings
- Overall cocaine use
- Current use and trends over time
- Use, by age and sex
- Cocaine use, by social characteristics
- State and territory comparisons
- Cocaine use and health
- Cocaine use-related behaviours
- Frequency of cocaine use
- Usual source of cocaine
10. Pharmaceuticals
- Key findings
- Overall pharmaceutical use
- Current use and trends over time
- Use of pharmaceuticals, by age and sex
- Type of pharmaceuticals used recently
- Pharmaceutical use-related behaviours
- Frequency of pharmaceutical use
11. Other illicit drugs
- Key findings
- Overall use of other illicit drugs
- Current use and trends over time
- Use of other illicit drugs
- Other illicit drug use, by sex
- Other illicit drug use, by age
- Other illicit drug use-related behaviours
- Frequency of use
- Usual source of needles and syringes
12. Attitudes and perceptions
- Key findings
- Perception of drugs that cause a drug problem
- Perceptions and attitudes towards drug use over time
- Attitudes and perceptions in 2010
- Approval of regular adult drug use
- Recent users
- Drug use that is most concerning for the general community
- Drugs perceived to be associated with mortality
- Social characteristics and perceptions and attitudes towards drugs
- Factors influencing use of illicit drugs
- Ease of obtaining illicit drugs
- Factors influencing first use or the decision not to use
13. Support for policy
- Key findings
- Support for measures to reduce problems associated with tobacco
- Comparisons over time
- State and territory comparisons
- Tobacco use status comparisons
- Support for measures to reduce problems associated with alcohol
- Comparisons over time
- State and territory comparisons
- Alcohol use status comparisons
- Support for cannabis use in medical settings
- Comparisons over time
- State and territory comparisons
- Support for the possession of cannabis being a criminal offence
- Support for measures to reduce problems associated with heroin
- Comparisons over time
- State and territory comparisons
- Heroin use status comparisons
- Community support for drug policy for illicit drugs
- Support for legalisation of illicit drugs
- Comparisons over time
- Age and sex comparisons
- Support for increased penalties for the sale or supply of illicit drugs
- Comparisons over time
- Age and sex comparisons
- Actions for those found in possession of illicit drugs
- Hypothetical distribution of a drugs budget
14. Explanatory notes
- Scope
- Methodology
- Survey methodology
- Sample design
- Coding
- Scanning and editing
- Estimation procedures
- Sample distribution
- Weighting
- Sample representativeness
- Response rates and contact rates
- Non-response rates and non-response bias
- Statistical concepts used in this report
- Reliability of estimates
- Standard error
- Relative standard error
- Sampling error
- Non-sampling error
- Counter balancing
- Age-standardisation
- Direct age-standardisation
- Population estimates
- Limitations, assumptions and implications
- Data about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- Sample design and scope
- Comparability with other data sources
- Future surveys
- Comparability with previous surveys
- Methodology
- Sample
- Questionnaire
Appendixes
- Appendix 1: Additional tables
- Appendix 2: Additional age group categories
- Appendix 3: Direct age-standardised percentages
- Appendix 4: Definition of characteristics variables
- Appendix 5: Sample/demographic characteristics
- Appendix 6: Population estimates
- Appendix 7: Membership of the Technical Advisory Group
- Appendix 8: Access to the confidentialised unit record file (CURF)
- Appendix 9: Questionnaire description
End matter: Glossary; References; List of tables; List of figures; The questionnaire