Are male or female Australians in the general population aged 14-17 years more likely to regularly use cannabis?
Among Australians in the general population aged 14-17 years who have used cannabis in the past 12 months, boys are more likely than girls to be regular cannabis users (42%* vs 34%*, respectively).
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.
Please note: Proportion of youth in the general population who regularly used cannabis differs from the proportion of school students who regularly used cannabis due to differences in survey measures (see FAQ: Are male or female Australian school students aged 12-17 years more likely to regularly use cannabis?). In the Australian Secondary School Students’ Alcohol and Drug (ASSAD) survey, regular use is defined as using cannabis 10 or more times in the past year, while in the general population survey (National Drug Strategy Household Survey) regular use is defined as using 12 or more times in the past year. The two surveys also differed in their inclusion criteria: the ASSAD recruits participants aged 12-17 years whilst the minimum age for participating in the 2019 NDSHS is 14 years (note: previous waves enabled participation from 12 years of age).
Regular Cannabis Use: Regular cannabis use refers to using cannabis 10 or more times in the past year (in the case of ASSAD data), or at least once per month or 12 times in the past year (in the case of NDSHS data).