Do younger and older Australians use different forms of meth/amphetamine?
Among Australians who used meth/amphetamine† in the past 12 months, those aged 25 years and above typically used crystal methamphetamine (ice) as their main form. Younger people were more likely to use prescription amphetamines or speed/powder.
0% of Australians aged 14-17 years who used meth/amphetamine in the past 12 months used crystal/ice as their main form, 0% used speed/powder, 100% used prescription amphetamines, 0% used tablets, 0% used capsules, and 0% used base/paste/pure.
17%* of Australians aged 18-24 years who used meth/amphetamine in the past 12 months used crystal/ice as their main form, 32%* used speed/powder, 29%* used prescription amphetamines, 18%** used tablets, 4%** used capsules, and 0% used base/paste/pure.
33%* of Australians aged 25-29 years who used meth/amphetamine in the past 12 months used crystal/ice as their main form, 10%* used speed/powder, 20%* used prescription amphetamines, 21%* used tablets, 15%** used capsules, and 0% used base/paste/pure.
66% of Australians aged 30-39 years who used meth/amphetamine in the past 12 months used crystal/ice as their main form, 18%* used speed/powder, 8%* used prescription amphetamines, 0.7%** used tablets, 6%** used capsules, and 0% used base/paste/pure.
67% of Australians aged 40+ years who used meth/amphetamine in the past 12 months used crystal/ice as their main form, 19% used speed/powder, 5%* used prescription amphetamines, 6%* used tablets, 0% used capsules, and 3%** used base/paste/pure.
Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). 2019 National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NCETA secondary analysis, 2021).
† Meth/amphetamine: This term covers a range of stimulant drugs including methamphetamine and amphetamine. The National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS) described meth/amphetamine as including drugs commonly known as speed, ice, crystal, whizz, Ritalin, or pseudoephedrine-based cold and flu tablets.
* 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: Percentages may not tally to 100% due to rounding. For the purposes of this FAQ, ‘ice’ refers to the crystalline form of meth/amphetamine commonly known as ice. ‘Speed’ includes powder, tablet, and capsule forms of meth/amphetamine; ‘base’ includes base, paste, and pure; and ‘other’ includes liquid, prescription amphetamines (for non-medical purposes), and other forms of meth/amphetamine.