Attitudes

This section provides an overview of Australians’ attitudes towards cocaine use and cocaine-related legislation.

It draws on data from the 2022-23 National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS) (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2024). The NDSHS is a triennial general population survey of Australians' awareness, attitudes, and behaviours relating to alcohol and other drug use. It is the best data source available to provide a national population demographic profile of Australians’ attitudes towards cocaine use.

Given the small proportion of Australian youth who use cocaine, there is little reliable and meaningful data about this population group available. As a result, this section presents only one FAQ, drawn from the 2022-23 Australian Secondary School Students’ Alcohol and Drug (ASSAD) Survey (Cancer Council Victoria, 2024).

• Do Australians think cocaine is the drug that causes most deaths in Australia?

• Do Australians consider cocaine use to be a problem?

• Do Australians consider cocaine to be the drug of most serious concern to the community?

• Do Australians approve or disapprove of the regular use of cocaine?

• Do Australians support or oppose legalising the personal use of cocaine?

• Do Australians support or oppose increased penalties for the sale or supply of cocaine?