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3-15. Illicit drug use

3-15-1 Illicit drug use in South Australia

3-15-2 Illicit drug use – Aboriginal people

Sources

 

3-15-1. Illicit drug use in South Australia

  • In 2016, just under one in six (15.7%) South Australians aged 14 years and older reported using drugs illicitly, including the use of pharmaceuticals for non-medical purposes, in the previous 12 months. This is comparable to the national average of 15.6%1.
  • In the 2001 survey, the reported rate in South Australia was 17.6%, but in the five subsequent three-yearly surveys the state's rate dropped and has hovered around the 15% mark since1.
  • Illicit drug use in South Australia is higher among males (18.3%) compared to females (13.0%) and peaks in the 20-29 years age cohort (23.9%)1.
  • Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug reported by South Australians aged 14 years and older (10.7%), followed by Misuse of pharmaceuticals (excludes OTC) (5.5%) and pain-killers/analgesics for non-medical purposes (4.3%)1.
  • In 2016, South Australia ranked fourth-lowest among the states and territories for illicit drug use by people aged 14 years and older, but there is not a great deal of variation between the states and territories – with the exception of the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory1.
  • Readers should note that estimates of drug use by states and territories should be interpreted with caution due to the low prevalence and smaller sample sizes for some states and territories, particularly for low prevalence drugs1.

 

Illicit use of any drug*
in previous 12 months (aged 14+ years), 2016
Region %
Metropolitan Adelaide n.a.
Country SA n.a.
South Australia 15.7%
Australia 15.6%

3-15-1

* including pharmaceuticals

Data source: AIHW 2018a

 


Illicit use of any drug*
in previous 12 months (aged 14+ years), 2016
State/Territory %
Australian Capital Territory 12.9%
New South Wales 14.7%
Victoria 15.0%
South Australia 15.7%
Queensland 16.8%
Western Australia 16.8%
Tasmania 17.4%
Northern Territory 21.6%
Australia 15.6%

3-15-2

* including pharmaceuticals

N.B. Estimates of drug use by states and territories should be interpreted with caution due to the low prevalence and smaller sample sizes for some states and territories, particularly for low prevalence drugs

Data source: AIHW 2018a

 

3-15-2. Illicit drug use – Aboriginal people

  • State-specific data is unavailable. However, in 2016 nationally, 27.0% of Aboriginal people aged 14 years and older reported using drugs illicitly, including the use of pharmaceuticals for non-medical purposes2.
  • This rate represent a rise from the 24.1% reported in the 2013 survey and is substantially higher than the 15.3% national average recorded for non-Aboriginal people.2

 

Sources

  1. Based on Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW 2018a), 'Table S2.33: Summary of recent drug use, people aged 14 and over, by state/territory, 2010 to 2016 (per cent)', 'Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs ', Supplementary data tables,  Alcohol, tobacco & other drugs in Australia, Cat. no. PHE 221, viewed 23 August 2018.
  2. Based on Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW 2018b), 'Table S3.1: Drug use by Indigenous status, people aged 14 and over, 2010 to 2016 (per cent)', 'Populations', Supplementary data tables,  Alcohol, tobacco & other drugs in Australia, Cat. no. PHE 221, viewed 23 August 2018.