Does cocaine use in Australia vary by geographic location and age?

Rates of lifetime and past year cocaine use among different ages groups by geographic location are presented in the graph below.

Among Australians aged 14-17 years, 0.6%** of those in major cities have used cocaine in their lifetime, compared to 0% from inner regional locations, and 2%** from outer regional/remote/very remote locations.

Among Australians aged 18-24 years, 15% of those in major cities have used cocaine in their lifetime, compared to 16% from inner regional locations, and 8%* from outer regional/remote/very remote locations.

Among Australians aged 25-29 years, 24% of those in major cities have used cocaine in their lifetime, compared to 13% from inner regional locations, and 11%* from outer regional/remote/very remote locations.

Among Australians aged 30-39 years, 20% of those in major cities have used cocaine in their lifetime, compared to 18% from inner regional locations, and 13% from outer regional/remote/very remote locations.

Among Australians aged 40-49 years, 17% of those in major cities have used cocaine in their lifetime, compared to 14% from inner regional locations, and 9% from outer regional/remote/very remote locations.

Among Australians aged 50+ years, 5% of those in major cities have used cocaine in their lifetime, compared to 4% from inner regional locations, and 2% from outer regional/remote/very remote locations.

Among Australians aged 14-17 years, 0.2%** of those in major cities have used cocaine in the past 12 months, compared to 0% from inner regional locations, and 0% from outer regional/remote/very remote locations.

Among Australians aged 18-24 years, 11% of those in major cities have used cocaine in the past 12 months, compared to 11%* from inner regional locations, and 5%** from outer regional/remote/very remote locations.

Among Australians aged 25-29 years, 13% of those in major cities have used cocaine in the past 12 months, compared to 4%* from inner regional locations, and 6%* from outer regional/remote/very remote locations.

Among Australians aged 30-39 years, 7% of those in major cities have used cocaine in the past 12 months, compared to 6% from inner regional locations, and 3%* from outer regional/remote/very remote locations.

Among Australians aged 40-49 years, 4% of those in major cities have used cocaine in the past 12 months, compared to 3%* from inner regional locations, and 0.7%** from outer regional/remote/very remote locations.

Among Australians aged 50+ years, 0.8% of those in major cities have used cocaine in the past 12 months, compared to 0.3%* from inner regional locations, and 0.0%** from outer regional/remote/very remote locations.

Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). 2019 National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NCETA secondary analysis, 2021).

* Estimate has a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution.

** Estimate has a relative standard error greater than 50% and is considered too unreliable for general use.

Please note: No statistical significance testing has been conducted on these data. As a result, no inferences can be made about whether the reported proportions are significantly different from one another.