Are younger or older Australian school students aged 12-17 years more likely to have used pharmaceutical drugs?
Among Australian school students aged 12-17 years, more 16-17 year olds than 12-15 year olds used analgesics in the past month (for either medical or non-medical purposes), while lifetime, past year, and past week use was similar among younger and older students. Tranquillisers appear to be used (for non-medical purposes) at similar rates among younger and older students.
Analgesics
In 2017, 86% of Australian school students aged 12-15 years had used analgesics (for either medical or non-medical purposes) in their lifetime; 82% in the past year; 63% in the past month; and 39% in the past week.
In 2017, 90% of Australian school students aged 16-17 years had used analgesics (for either medical or non-medical purposes) in their lifetime; 86% in the past year; 70% in the past month; and 44% in the past week.
Tranquillisers
In 2017, 19% of Australian school students aged 12-15 years had used tranquillisers for non-medical purposes in their lifetime; 11% in the past year; 6% in the past month; and 4% in the past week.
In 2017, 16% of Australian school students aged 16-17 years had used tranquillisers for non-medical purposes in their lifetime; 11% in the past year; 6% in the past month; and 4% in the past week.
Source: Cancer Council Victoria. (2023). ASSAD 2022–2023: Australian secondary school students’ use of alcohol and other substances.
Please note: This FAQ uses data from the Australian Secondary Students’ Alcohol and Drug Survey, which defines the pharmaceutical drugs referred to in this question as: the medical or non-medical use of analgesics (defined as: pain-killers/analgesics such as ‘Disprin®’, ‘Panadol®’ or ‘Nurofen®’) and the non-medical use of tranquillisers (defined as sleeping tablets, tranquillisers, sedatives or benzodiazepines, such as valium, mogadon, diazepam, temazepam (mazzies, vallies, moggies, jellies), serepax (serries) or rohypnol (rohies, barbs)).