What types of pharmaceutical drugs do Australians use for non-medical purposes?
The pharmaceutical drugs† that Australians are most likely to have used for non-medical purposes in their lifetime, past 12 months, past month, and past week are pain-killers/pain-relievers/opioids, followed by tranquillisers/sleeping pills.
8% of Australians have used pain-killers/pain-relievers/opioids for non-medical purposes during their lifetime, 3% have done so during the past 12 months, 0.9% during the past month, and 0.5% during the past week.
5% of Australians have used tranquillisers/sleeping pills for non-medical purposes during their lifetime, 2% have done so during the past 12 months, 0.7% during the past month, and 0.3% during the past week.
0.4% of Australians have used methadone/buprenorphine for non-medical purposes during their lifetime, 0.1% have done so during the past 12 months, 0.0%* during the past month, and 0.0%* during the past week.
* Estimate has a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution.
Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). 2019 National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NCETA secondary analysis, 2021).
This FAQ uses data from the National Drug Strategy Household Survey, which defines the pharmaceutical drugs referred to in this question as: the non-medical use of pain-killers/pain-relievers/opioids (oxycodone, morphine, codeine products such as panadeine forte (excluding paracetamol, asprin and ibuprofen where these drugs are the only active ingredients)), tranquillisers/sleeping pills (e.g., sleepers, benzos, tranks, temazzies, temaze, rivotril, serepax, serries, xanax, xannies, stilnox, rohypnol, rowies, valium) and methadone/buprenorphine (e.g., done, junk, jungle juice, bupe, sub).
* Estimate has a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution.
Non-medical use: A drug used:
- By itself to induce a drug experience or feeling; or
- With other drugs in order to enhance a drug experience.