Young Australian women have been drinking more since the pandemic and their use of illicit drugs is on par with young men for the first time since national records began.
The National Drug Strategy Household Survey checks the attitude and consumption of drugs, tobacco, e-cigarettes and alcohol in Australians aged 14 and over.
The survey found that the gender gap between men and women’s drinking behaviours is now the smallest it has been since 2001.
Forty per cent of women aged 18-24 are consuming alcohol at risky levels in 2022-23, compared to 45 per cent of men. In 2019, the percentage of women was at 35 per cent compared to 47 per cent of men.
Illicit drug use in young women has also been on the rise, as more than one in three (35 per cent) of women aged 18-24 reported recent use in 2022-23. This is up from around one in four (27 per cent) in 2019, with young men remaining stable at 35 per cent.
“Males have historically been more likely to use illicit drugs than females, however 2022-2023 was the first time since monitoring began that females aged 18-24 were as likely to use illicit drugs as males of the same age,” said Dr Gabrielle Phillips from the federal government’s Australian Institute of Health (AIHW).
Noting other substance usage among young Australian women, Dr Phillips said “between 2019 and 2022-2023, the use of cannabis (up from 20 per cent to 26 per cent) and cocaine (up from 8.0 per cent to 11.9 per cent) increased substantially among young females aged 18-24.”
Robert Taylor from the Australian Drug Foundation told the ABC there still needs to be more research to show what’s driving this trend towards young women undertaking more risky drug behaviour.
Population trends in Australia
Published by AIHW on Thursday, the survey reached out to more than 21,000 people across the country aged 14 and over. The Institute has been reporting on the drug survey since 1998.
Overall results showed smoking rates in Australia continue to drop while the use of e-cigarettes has tripled, and is the highest in areas with the most socioeconomic advantage.
Alcohol has remained the most commonly used drug in the nation, with about three in four (77 per cent) of respondents consuming it in the previous 12 months.
The definition of a “risky level” of drinking involves having more than 10 standard drinks a week or more than four standard drinks in a single day at least once a month, according to National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines that were revised in December 2020.
Among other substance usage, 18 per cent of those survey had taken illegal drugs in the past 12 months, with 47 per cent having done so in their lifetime.
Between 2019 and 2022-23, cannabis usage rates went up 11.5 per cent and cocaine remained steady at 4.5 per cent. Use of hallucinogens (1.6 per cent to 2.4 per cent) and ketamine (0.9 per cent to 1.4 per cent) were both up.
Ecstasy use dropped (3 per cent to 2.1 per cent) between 2019 and 2022-23, and the use of non-prescribed pain relief and opioids dropped 2.7 per cent to 2.2 per cent.
To access free and confidential advice about alcohol and other drugs, phone the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015.