Estimated Prevalence of Substance Use Among Youth in Australia

"In 2017, 82% of all secondary students in Australia had never smoked (Table 3.1). Levels of experimental and regular smoking increased with age, but by age 17 most students (65%) had still never smoked.

"Overall, around 2% of all students had smoked more than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime (6% of 17 year olds). The lowest proportion of students to have smoked in the past month was among 12 and 13 year olds (2%), and this level rose to 16% among 17 year olds. A similar pattern was evident among students who had smoked in the past week (i.e., current smokers), from 1-2% of 12 and 13 year olds to 11% of 17 year olds. Only around 3% of all students had smoked on three or more days during the past week (committed smokers), with this being highest among 17 year olds (6%)."

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"Of all students surveyed, 34% reported never having consumed alcohol (Table 4.1). Alcohol use was more common among older students, with 76% of 17 year olds having consumed alcohol in the past year, compared to 17% of 12 year olds (Table 4.1).

"Current drinking (in the past week) was more common among older than younger students. Overall, a greater proportion of male (16%) than female (14%) students were current drinkers."

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"Among the 14% of students who had used cannabis in the past year, 30% of males and 37% of females had used cannabis once or twice, while 38% of males and 29% of females had used it on 10 or more occasions (regular use). Regular use tended to be more common among older than younger students (10% of 12 year olds; 37% of 17 year olds), and among male than female students from age 13."

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"Very few students reported that they had ever used amphetamines for non-medicinal reasons (dexamphetamines: 2%; methamphetamines: 2%, Table 6.3).

"The highest prevalence of lifetime amphetamine use was among older students (16-17, dexamphetamines: 2%; methamphetamines: 3%).

"Overall, use in the past month (1%) or year (1%) was also very low for each kind of amphetamine and 41% of students who reported past year use of dexamphetamines (methamphetamines: 35%) had tried them only once or twice."

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"Student use of heroin was extremely low (Table 6.5). In the past year, 1% of students reported using heroin, and around 30% of these past year users had used it only once or twice.

"For the first time in 2017, we asked students about their use of other opiates (e.g. morphine, oxycodone, codeine) other than for medical reasons separate from their use of heroin (Table 6.5). Results suggest that students might have reported medicinal as well as nonmedicinal use of these drugs (5% ever used). Around 47% of those who reported having used other opiates in the past year had used them only once or twice. Past month use was reported by 2% of students."

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"Most secondary school students had never tried cocaine (98%, Table 6.7). Only 1% of students had used cocaine in the past month.

"Among the 2% who had used cocaine in the past year, 45% of males and 66% of females had used it only once or twice."

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"Most secondary school students (95%) had never used ecstasy (Table 6.13). Lifetime use increased with age (13 year olds, 2%; 17 year olds, 11%). In the past year, 4% of students had used ecstasy (past month, 2%), with around 47% of these students having used it only once or twice.

"Male students were more likely than female students to have used ecstasy in each recency period."