A survey of 21-thousand Australians' drug and alcohol usage has been released today, and the findings have some sobriety advocates alarmed.
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00:00 So this report's usually released every three years, but this particular report was delayed
00:07 thanks to COVID.
00:09 So what we found out of it is that alcohol is still the drug of choice for most Australians,
00:15 with 77% of us saying that we've had a drink in the last 12 months.
00:21 Young people are the most commonly used, the most common users of illicit drugs, with cannabis
00:28 and cocaine being the most commonly used.
00:32 Ecstasy or NDMA has fallen in popularity since the last survey.
00:37 Nicotine and tobacco rates have halved, but probably unsurprisingly, vaping has quadrupled
00:44 in usage.
00:45 But perhaps the most surprising element of this particular survey is around young women
00:51 aged 18 to 24 and their risk-taking behaviour.
00:55 In past surveys, young men have been the most likely to undertake behaviour like binge drinking
01:01 or taking illicit drugs.
01:03 But for the first time ever in this survey, young women are now taking illicit drugs at
01:07 the same rate as young men.
01:09 Around 35% of young Australians have taken an illicit substance in the last 12 months.
01:16 Young women are also narrowing the gap when it comes to binge drinking.
01:20 Approximately two out of five young women are now drinking outside the recommended levels.
01:25 So do we know why young women are undertaking greater risk-taking behaviour, Shailaja?
01:31 Short answer, when it comes to understanding why women are taking illicit drugs, we just
01:36 don't know.
01:37 Research doesn't exist really in this space and researchers are saying this particular
01:42 data set can act as an impetus to really understand this issue a lot more.
01:47 When it comes to alcohol usage though, we have a bit more of an insight into why young
01:51 women are drinking more.
01:53 Katarina Georgie, the CEO of the Foundation of Alcohol and Research Education, says that
02:02 alcohol companies have really concerted efforts towards marketing products that are healthier
02:08 towards young women.
02:11 Also something significant to note here is that Australians' attitudes towards harm minimisation
02:16 when it comes to drug usage has changed quite significantly.
02:20 Now more Australians are supportive of policies like pill testing and safe injecting rooms
02:27 than are against it.
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