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 (16-17) are significantly more likely to have used cannabis in their lifetime, in the past year, past month and past week compared to younger students.
9% of Australian school students aged 12-15 years have used cannabis in their lifetime; 8% in the past year; 5% in the past month; and 3% in the past week.
24% of Australian school students aged 16-17 years have used cannabis in their lifetime; 21% in the past year; 11% in the past month; and 7% in the past week.
Source: Scully, M, Koh, I, Bain, E, Wakefield, M, & Durkin, S (2023). ASSAD 2022-23: Australian secondary school students' use of alcohol and other substances. Cancer Council Victoria, Australia.
Please note: This FAQ uses data from the Australian Secondary Students’ Alcohol and Drug Survey, in which differences were considered significant at p<.01.