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Key findings

National Drug Strategy Household Survey

The National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS) included a new question in 2022–2023 asking respondents whether they had ever served in the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Inclusion of this question acknowledges the importance of monitoring veterans’ use of alcohol, tobacco, e-cigarettes and other drugs at a national level and understanding related short and long-term health outcomes for veterans. Drug and alcohol use is a key area of interest under the health domain of the veteran-centred model, particularly when veterans transition from an ADF service-centred life to a civilian-centred life.

Who are ‘veterans’ in this article?

The term ‘veterans’, as used in this article, refers to respondents who disclosed that they had ever served in the ADF. They may be current or ex-serving ADF members in either the permanent or reserve service. Of the 21,633 respondents to the NDSHS, 3.6% (778 respondents) identified as veterans.

Although respondents were asked if they were current or ex-serving ADF members, data were not publishable by current- and ex-serving status due to reasons of data confidentiality and statistical robustness. The findings on veterans in this article do not differentiate by service characteristics, as this information was not sought in the survey.

Who are ‘non-veterans’ in this article?

‘Non-veterans’, as used in this article, are people who stated they had never served in the ADF.

Data limitations

  • The self-reported nature of the NDSHS should be considered when interpreting any findings in this article.
  • The ADF does not tolerate the inappropriate use of, or involvement with, prohibited substances. This means that in surveys such as the NDSHS, respondents who are current-serving ADF members may be less likely to use illicit drugs (due to ADF policies including drug testing) and/or may be less likely to self-report illicit drug use than non-veterans or ex-serving veterans.
  • Of the 21,633 respondents to the NDSHS, 3.6% (778 respondents) identified as veterans. The 2021 national Census showed the corresponding proportion in the general population is 2.8% (ABS 2022). The small size of the veteran cohort in the NDSHS means that this article may not be able to identify smaller, but still important, differences between veterans and non-veterans because of statistical limitations. This should be considered when interpreting the findings in this article.

See 2022–2023 NDSHS Technical notes for a description of other known limitations of the data.

The influence of age and gender on the findings

The age and gender profile of veterans captured in the NSDSHS was different to non-veterans (Figure 1):

  • Most veterans identified as men – 84% compared with 48% of non-veterans. 
  • Veterans were an older population – 47% were aged 65 and over, compared with 21% of non-veterans.

Figure 1: Age-distributions of veterans and non-veterans according to the NDSHS

Veteran respondents were more likely to be male and older than non-veteran respondents.

* Relative standard error (RSE) greater than 25% and should be interpreted with caution. 

** Estimate has a high level of sampling error (relative standard error of 51% to 90%).

Source: NDSHS 2022–2023; Table 10.26.

The age and gender profile of the veteran cohort in the survey closely reflects the overall Australian veteran population, where 86% of veterans are men and 45% are aged 65 and over (AIHW analysis of ABS 2022).

Because of the different age and gender profiles of the veteran and non-veteran populations, comparisons between the two may be misleading. To resolve this issue, the findings in this article have been reported separately by gender, and for different age groups, where possible. In sections where this was not possible, data are presented for veterans only (either to maintain veterans’ confidentiality, or the statistical robustness of the results).

Due to data limitations, this article does not report age standardised rates.

Daily tobacco smoking

Almost 1 in 10 veterans (men and women) surveyed (9.6%) smoked tobacco daily.

Among men surveyed, 8.2% of veteran men, and 9.6% of non-veteran men smoked tobacco daily. Although proportions of daily smoking in younger veteran men aged 18 to 44 were lower (5.3%) than in non-veteran men of the same age (9.6%), this difference should be interpreted with caution for data quality reasons (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Daily tobacco smoking, by age group and veteran status, men aged 18 and over, 2022–2023

A statistically significantly lower proportion of veteran men aged 18 to 44 smoked tobacco daily compared to non-veteran men in the same age group.

* Relative standard error (RSE) greater than 25% and should be interpreted with caution.

# Statistically significant difference at p≤0.05 between veteran men and non-veteran men.

Source: NDSHS 2022–2023; Table 10.27.

Use of e-cigarettes

Just over 1 in 10 (11%) veteran men had used electronic cigarettes/ vapes (e-cigarettes) in their lifetime. Use was highest in men aged 18 to 44, and lowest in men aged 65 and over, regardless of veteran status.

When compared separately by age, lifetime use of e-cigarettes did not differ between veteran men and non-veteran men (Figure 3). This finding suggests the difference between veterans and non-veterans when all age groups are combined may be due to veterans being an older population than non-veterans.

Figure 3: Ever used e-cigarettes, by age group and veteran status, men aged 18 and over, 2022–2023

When all age groups were combined, a statistically significant lower proportion of veteran men used e-cigarettes than non-veteran men.

* Relative standard error (RSE) greater than 25% and should be interpreted with caution.

#Statistically significant difference at p≤0.05 between veteran men and non-veteran men.

Source: NDSHS 2022–2023; Table 10.28.

Risky drinking

How do we define risky drinking?

Drinking at risky levels or ‘risky alcohol consumption’ is defined as either or both of the following:

  • consuming more than 10 standard drinks per week on average
  • having more than 4 standard drinks in a single day at least once a month over the previous 12 months.

These definitions are based on the 2020 National Health and Medical Research Council Alcohol guideline 1 (NHMRC, 2020).

While not part of the NHMRC guidelines, consumption of 11 or more drinks in a single occasion at least once yearly has also been included in this section, though it is not included in overall proportions of ‘risky drinking’.

One in 3 veterans (men and women) (33%) engaged in risky drinking in the last 12 months.

Proportions of veteran men engaging in risky drinking were similar to non-veteran men across all age groups analysed and for all age groups combined (Figure 4).

Figure 4: Risky drinking, by age group and veteran status, men aged 18 and over, 2022-2023

There was no statistically significant difference in the proportions of veteran men and non-veteran men engaging in risky drinking.

Note: This figure shows no statistically significant difference between veteran men and non-veteran men.

Source: NDSHS 2022–2023; Table 10.29.

Among veteran men, just over a third (34%) drank over 10 standard drinks per week, just over a quarter (26%) drank more than four standard drinks in a single day at least monthly, and 16% drank 11 or more standard drinks in a single day at least yearly (Figure 5).

Figure 5: Types of risky drinking behaviour among veteran men aged 18 and over, by age group, 2022-2023

Younger veteran men engaged in higher levels of risky drinking behaviours than older veteran men.

* Relative standard error (RSE) greater than 25% and should be interpreted with caution.

Source: NDSHS 2022–2023; Tables 10.30 to 10.32.

Risky behaviours while under the influence of alcohol

What risky behaviours does this article cover?

In this article, risky behaviours while under the influence of alcohol are defined as: going to work, swimming, operating a boat, driving a motor vehicle, operating hazardous machinery, creating a public disturbance or nuisance, causing damage to property, stealing money, goods or property, and verbally or physically abusing someone. 

Specific behaviours are unable to be reported on in this article due to limitations with data quality.

About 1 in 6 (16%) veteran men surveyed engaged in at least one risky behaviour while under the influence of alcohol in the 12 months preceding the NDSHS.

Among the age groups analysed, both veteran and non-veteran men aged 18 to 44 were most likely to engage in risky behaviours, while those aged 65 and over were least likely (Figure 6).

Figure 6: Engagement in risky behaviours while drinking, by age group and veteran status, men aged 18 and over, 2022–2023

There was no statistically significant difference in proportions of veteran men and non-veteran men engaging in risky behaviours while drinking.

Note: This figure shows no statistically significant difference between veteran men and non-veteran men.

Source: NDSHS 2022–2023; Table 10.33.

Attitudes on how to reduce problematic alcohol consumption

The NDSHS asked: if respondents were given $100 to spend on reducing problematic alcohol consumption, how much they would allocate to education, treatment, and law enforcement.

On average, veterans surveyed (men and women) allocated the most money to education, followed by law enforcement and then treatment. Veterans in the older age groups allocated a greater proportion of funds to education and a lower proportion to treatment than veterans in the younger 18 to 44 age group (Figure 7).

Figure 7: Average preferred distribution of $100 for reducing problematic alcohol consumption, veterans aged 18 and over, by age group, 2022–2023

Veterans aged 18 to 44 would spend most on treatment; those aged 45 to 64 and 65+ allocated the most to education.

Source: NDSHS 2022–2023; Table 10.34.

Illicit drug use

Illicit drugs in the National Drug Strategy Household Survey

In this article, illicit drugs include any drug which is illegal to possess or use, as well as any legal drug used in an illegal manner, for example either:

  • a pharmaceutical drug used for non‑medical purposes
  • glue or petrol that is sold legally, but is used in a manner that is not intended, such as inhaling fumes.

Non‑medical use refers to using the drug for recreational purposes (to induce or enhance a drug experience) and using a drug in a way that it was not prescribed/ recommended (for example, using it to enhance a drug experience, for weight loss or performance enhancement).

Less than half (46%) of all veterans (men and women) surveyed had used an illicit drug in their lifetime. For veteran men, this proportion was 45%.

Regardless of veteran status, men aged 45 to 64 were most likely to have ever used an illicit drug in their lifetime, and men aged 65 and over were least likely (Figure 8).

When compared separately by selected age groups, veteran men were equally likely to have ever tried an illicit drug as non-veteran men (Figure 8).

Figure 8: Whether ever used any illicit drug, by age group and veteran status, men aged 18 and over, 2022–2023

Higher proportions of non-veteran men than veteran men had used any illicit drug in their lifetime.

# Statistically significant difference at p≤0.05 between veteran men and non-veteran men. 

Source: NDSHS 2022–2023; Table 10.35.

Cannabis was the most common type of illicit drug men had ever used, regardless of veteran status. However, veteran men aged 65 and over were less likely to have ever used cannabis than non-veteran men of the same age (21% compared with 27%; Figure 9).

Use of different types of illicit drugs were otherwise similar between veteran and non-veteran men when compared separately by selected age groups.

Figure 9: Whether ever used cannabis, by age group and veteran status, men aged 18 and over, 2022–2023

A higher proportion of non-veteran men aged 65+ compared to non-veteran men in that age group had used cannabis in their lifetime.

# Statistically significant difference at p≤0.05 between veteran men and non-veteran men. 

Source: NDSHS 2022–2023; Table 10.35.

Veterans-only data

The data presented in the rest of this article is for all veterans (males and females) and is not disaggregated by age groups. This is due to low cell counts. Comparison of findings between the whole veteran cohort and the whole non-veteran cohort in the data tables should be interpreted with caution.

Reasons for first using an illicit drug

Among all veterans (both men and women) who had ever used an illicit drug in their lifetime, the most common reasons for first using an illicit drug were To see what it was like/curiosity and because Friends or family were using it or had offered it to them (Figure 10).

Figure 10: Factors influencing first use of an illicit drug, veterans who have ever used an illicit drug, 2022–2023

The most common reasons for first trying an illicit drug among veterans were To see what it was like/curiosity and the influence of friends or family

Source: NDSHS 2022–2023; Table 10.36.

Reasons for never trying an illicit drug

Among all veterans (both men and women) who had never tried an illicit drug in their lifetime, the most common reason was Just not interested, followed by Reasons related to health or addiction (Figure 11).

Figure 11: Selected factors influencing decision to never try an illicit drug, veterans who have never tried an illicit drug, 2022–2023

Most common factors influencing veterans’ decisions to never try an illicit drug were not being interested, and reasons due to health or addiction.

Source: NDSHS 2022–2023; Table 10.37.

Attitudes on how to reduce illicit drug use

The NDSHS asked: if respondents were given $100 to spend on reducing illicit drug use, how much they would allocate to education, treatment, and law enforcement.

On average, veterans (men and women) surveyed allocated the most money to law enforcement, followed by education and then treatment. Veterans in the 65-and-over age group allocated almost twice as much to law enforcement than to treatment. (Figure 12).

Figure 12: Average preferred distribution of $100 for reducing illicit drug use, veterans aged 18 and over, by age group, 2022–2023

Veterans aged 18 to 44 and 65+ would spend most on law enforcement; veterans aged 45 to 64 allocated most to education.

Source: NDSHS 2022–2023; Table 10.34.

Cannabis for medical purposes

Of veterans who had used cannabis recently (that is, in the 12 months preceding the survey), over half (55%) had used it for medical purposes at least sometimes (Figure 13).

Figure 13: Whether recently used cannabis for medical reasons, by veterans who had used cannabis recently, 2022–2023

Of veterans who had used cannabis in the previous 12 months, over half (55%) had used it for medical purposes at least sometimes.

* Relative standard error (RSE) greater than 25% and should be interpreted with caution.

Source: NDSHS 2022–2023; Table 10.38.

References

ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) (2022) Service with the Australian Defence Force: Census. ABS, Australian Government, accessed 30 April 2024.

AIHW (2024) National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2022–2023. AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 8 May 2024.

NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council) (2020) Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol. NHMRC, accessed 6 December 2023.

Data