Presentation by Paul Dillon Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia

Presentation by Paul DillonDrug and Alcohol Research and Training AustraliaBased on the report prepared by Victoria White and Emily BariolaCancer Council Victoria

Australian secondary school students' use of tobacco, alcohol, and over-the-counter

and illicit substances in 2011

The 2011 Australian Secondary Students' Alcohol and Drug survey – tenth survey in a series that commenced in 1984 assessing use of tobacco and alcohol, and the sixth to include questions on the use of over-the-counter and illicit substances Just under 25,000 secondary students aged 12-17 years participated in the survey, in which they were asked about their lifetime and current use of tobacco, alcohol, analgesics, tranquilisers and illicit substances and related behaviour

2011 ASSAD Survey

Prevalence (%) of lifetime drug use (excluding tobacco, and alcohol) among 12-17 year old students2011 ASSAD Survey

%

Prevalence (%) of 12-17 year old students who have never used drugs (excluding tobacco and alcohol)2011 ASSAD Survey

%

Comparison of prevalence (%) of lifetime drug use (excluding tobacco, and alcohol) among 12-17 year old students – 2008-20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

%

Prevalence (%) of lifetime drug use among 12-17 year old students, 1996-20112011 ASSAD Survey

Prevalence (%) of past year drug use (excluding tobacco and alcohol) among 12-17 year old students2011 ASSAD Survey

%

Prevalence (%) of 12-17 year old students who have not used drugs in the past year (excluding tobacco and alcohol)2011 ASSAD Survey

%

%

Prevalence (%) of past year drug use among 12-17 year old students, 1996-20112011 ASSAD Survey

In 2011, 93% of 12-year-olds had no experience with smoking, which decreasedto 58% among 17-year-olds. Only 4% of all students had smoked morethan 100 cigarettes in their lifetime, with a peak of 10% among 17-year-old males

The proportion of 12- to 15-year-old students who were 'current smokers' (smoking in the seven days prior to the survey) in 2011 was the lowest since the survey series began. However, the proportion of 16- to 17-year-old students who were current smokers in 2011 was the same as in 2008

Tobacco

%

Never smoked tobacco, Australian secondary school students (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Smoked tobacco in past year, Australian secondary school students (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Smoked tobacco in past seven days ('current smokers'), Australian secondary school students (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Smoked more than 100 cigarettes in lifetime, Australian secondary school students (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Committed smokers (3+ days in past seven days), Australian secondary school students (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Trends in proportion of students aged 12-15 years and 16-17 years who had smoked in the past four weeks, 1984-20112011 ASSAD Survey

The proportion of students aged between 12-17 years drinking in 2011 waslower than levels found in 2008 and 2005 Premixed spirits were the most preferred alcoholic drink type amongfemale current drinkers, while premixed spirits and beer were the most preferredamong male current drinkersStudents who consumed alcohol in the previous 7 days most commonly obtained their alcohol from their parents (33%) or friends (23%), and consumed it at a party (34%) or in their own home (30%)

Alcohol

%

Never consumed alcohol, Australian secondary school students (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Students who describe themselves as a 'non drinker', Australian secondary school students (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Self description of drinking behaviour by age and gender, 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Students who consumed alcohol in the past month, Australian secondary school students (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Students who consumed alcohol in the past seven days ('current drinkers'), Australian secondary school students (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Single occasion risky drinker (drank more than 4 drinks on one day in past seven days), Australian secondary school students (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey

Num

ber o

f drin

ks

Average number of drinks consumed by current drinkers in past seven days, by age and gender, 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Current drinkers who drank more than 4 drinks on one occasion in past seven days, by age and gender, 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Drink types most commonly consumed by current drinkers, 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Changes in preference of drink types most commonly consumed by current drinkers, 2002-20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Current drinkers who consumed their last alcoholic drink under adult supervision, Australian secondary school students (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Current drinkers drinking at home, at a party or at a friend's house who consumed their last alcoholic drink under adult supervision, (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Changes in most common sources of last alcoholic drink among current drinkers, 2002-20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Common sources of alcohol among current drinkers who had someone else buy alcohol for them, 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Current drinkers indicating different frequencies of intending to get drunk when they drink alcohol (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Main negative outcomes experienced by current drinkers after drinking alcohol in the past 12 months (%), 2011 (multiple responses allowed)2011 ASSAD Survey

%

Proportion of 12-15 year old current drinkers and the proportion drinking more than four drinks on a single occasion in the past seven days, 1984-20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Proportion of 16-17 year old current drinkers and the proportion drinking more than four drinks on a single occasion in the past seven days, 1984-20112011 ASSAD Survey

The reported use of substances such as Disprin, Panadol or Nurofen among students was extremely high - only 4% had never used these medications. Over two-thirds of all students had used analgesics in the past month

Use of analgesics in the week before the survey increased from 33% of 12-year-olds to 43% of 16-year-olds and 44% of 17-year olds

At all ages, females were significantly more likely to have used analgesics intheir lifetime, in the past year and past month

Analgesics

%

Ever used analgesics, Australian secondary school students (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Reasons for using analgesics, Australian secondary school students (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey

Cannabis was the most commonly used illicit substance, especially among those in the older age groups – 15% of the students surveyed had used cannabis at some time in their livesIn all time periods, the proportion of students using cannabis increased with ageFor the first time since 1996, lifetime use and use in the past year did not decrease. Significantly fewer students had used cannabis in each of the time periods in 2011 than in 2005. However there was no difference in the proportion students using cannabis between 2011 and 2008

Cannabis

%

Ever used cannabis, Australian secondary school students (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Lifetime cannabis use, Australian secondary school students (%), 1996-20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Used cannabis in the past year, Australian secondary school students (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Used cannabis in the past week, Australian secondary school students (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Cannabis use in the past week, Australian secondary school students (%), 1996-20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Used cannabis at least 10 times in the previous year, Australian secondary school students (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey

The question asked here is as follows:"How many times, if ever, have you deliberately sniffed (inhaled) from spray cans or deliberately sniffed things like glue, paint, petrol or thinners in order to get high or for the way it makes you feel …"

Inhalant use was related to age – with use decreasing significantly from the youngest to the oldest students - around one-fifth (20%) of 12-year-old students had ever used and just 11% for those aged 17 years

Inhalants

%

Ever used inhalants, Australian secondary school students (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey

Use of illicit drugs, other than cannabis, was uncommon. For all drugs, however, the proportion of students using these substances increased with ageHallucinogens ("LSD, acid, trips, magic mushrooms, datura, angel's trumpet") were the most commonly used illicit substance behind cannabis. This is the first time since 1999 that hallucinogens have been the second most popular illicit amongst students, with 3% of 12-17 year-olds reporting lifetime use Amphetamine and ecstasy use was significantly lower than in 2008 and 2005. Lifetime and past year use were the lowest rates recorded since the survey began

Other illicit drugs

%

Ever used hallucinogens, Australian secondary school students (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Ever used amphetamines, Australian secondary school students (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey

%

Ever used ecstasy, Australian secondary school students (%), 20112011 ASSAD Survey