Young People
This section contains information about the cannabis use patterns of Australian school students who are under 18 years of age.
Data on Australian school students aged 12-17 years is derived from the 2017 Australian Secondary School Students’ Alcohol and Drug (ASSAD) Survey (Cancer Council Victoria, 2018).
What proportion of Australian school students aged 12-17 years have used cannabis?
The majority (83%) of Australian school students aged 12-17 years have never used cannabis. Fifteen percent have used cannabis in the past year; 8% in the past month; and 5% in the past week.
Source: Cancer Council Victoria. (2018). ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian secondary school students' use of tobacco, alcohol, over-the-counter drugs, and illicit substances.
Are male or female Australian school students aged 12-17 years more likely to have used cannabis?
Australian school boys aged 12-17 years are more likely than school girls to have ever used cannabis, and to have used in the past year, past month, and past week.
Source: Cancer Council Victoria. (2018). ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian secondary school students' use of tobacco, alcohol, over-the-counter drugs, and illicit substances.
Are younger or older Australian school students aged 12-17 years more likely to have used cannabis?
Among Australian school students aged 12-17 years, cannabis use increases with age. Older students are more likely to have used cannabis in their lifetime, in the past year, past month and past week compared to younger students.
Source: Cancer Council Victoria. (2018). ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian secondary school students' use of tobacco, alcohol, over-the-counter drugs, and illicit substances.
What proportion of Australian school students aged 12-17 years regularly use cannabis?
Approximately 5% of Australian school students aged 12-17 years are regular cannabis users.
Source: Cancer Council Victoria (2018). ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian secondary school students' use of tobacco, alcohol, over-the-counter drugs, and illicit substances. (NCETA secondary analysis, 2019).
Regular Cannabis Use: Regular cannabis use refers to using cannabis 10 or more times in the past year.
Are male or female school students aged 12-17 years more likely to regularly use cannabis?
Among Australian school students aged 12-17 years, 6% of boys and 4% of girls are regular cannabis users.
Source: Cancer Council Victoria (2018). ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian secondary school students' use of tobacco, alcohol, over-the-counter drugs, and illicit substances. (NCETA secondary analysis, 2019).
Regular Cannabis Use: Regular cannabis use refers to using cannabis 10 or more times in the past year.
Are younger or older school students aged 12-17 years more likely to regularly use cannabis?
Among Australian school students aged 12-17 years who used cannabis in the past year, the proportion of regular cannabis users increases with age (10% of 12 year olds vs 37% of 17 year olds).
Regular Cannabis Use: Regular cannabis use refers to using cannabis 10 or more times in the past year.
What are the most common ways Australian school students aged 12-17 years use cannabis?
Among Australian school students aged 12-17 years who used cannabis in the past year, 50% smoked it in a bong and 33% smoked it as a joint.
Source: Cancer Council Victoria (2018). ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian secondary school students' use of tobacco, alcohol, over-the-counter drugs, and illicit substances. (NCETA secondary analysis, 2019).
Where do Australian school students aged 12-17 years usually use cannabis?
Among Australian school students aged 12-17 years who used cannabis in the past year, 33% typically used at a friend’s home, 18% at parties, 15% in their own home, and 12% in a park.
Source: Cancer Council Victoria. (2018). ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian secondary school students' use of tobacco, alcohol, over-the-counter drugs, and illicit substances.