AIHW report shows more young women are using drugs

A survey of 21-thousand Australians' drug and alcohol usage has been released today, and the findings have some sobriety advocates alarmed.

Transcript

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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