Presentation by Paul DillonDrug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia

Based on the report prepared by Nicola Guerin and Victoria White Cancer Council Victoria

ASSAD 2017 statistics and trends: Australian secondary school students' use of

tobacco, alcohol, and over-the-counter and illicit substances

2017 ASSAD Survey

2017 Australian Secondary Students' Alcohol and Drug survey - twelfth survey in a series that commenced in 1984 assessing use of tobacco and alcohol, and the sixth to include questions on the use of over-the-counter and illicit substances

Around 20,000 secondary students aged between 12 and 17 years participated in the survey, in which they were asked about their lifetime and current use of tobacco, alcohol, analgesics, tranquilisers and illicit substances and related behaviour

Prevalence (%) of lifetime drug use (excluding tobacco, and alcohol) among 12-17 year old students, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Prevalence (%) of never used drugs (excluding tobacco, and alcohol) among 12-17 year old students, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

Prevalence (%) of recent drug use (use in the past year) among 12-17 year old students, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Prevalence (%) of no recent use drugs (not used in the past year) among 12-17 year old students, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

Prevalence (%) of lifetime drug use among 12-17 year old students, 1996-2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Prevalence (%) of recent drug use among 12-17 year old students, 1996-2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Tobacco

In 2017, 82% of 12-17-year-old students reported never having smoked

95% of 12-year-olds had no experience with smoking, which decreasedto 65% of 17-year-olds. Only 2% of all students had smoked morethan 100 cigarettes in their lifetime, with a peak of 9% among 17-year-old males

Fewer students in 2017 reported that they had smoked more than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime than in 2014, with this being a significant decline from 2011. Daily and committed smoking also declined from 2014 to 2017. The proportion smoking at these frequencies in 2017 was significantly lower than in 2011

Never smoked tobacco, Australian secondary school students (%), by age and gender, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Smoked tobacco in past year, Australian secondary school students (%), by age and gender, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Smoked tobacco in past seven days (current smokers), Australian secondary school students (%), by age and gender, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Committed smokers (3+ days in past seven days), Australian secondary school students (%), by age and gender, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Trends in proportion of students aged 12-15 years and 16-17 years who had smoked in the past week, 1984-2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Ever used e-cigarettes, Australian secondary school students (%), by age and gender, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

Alcohol

Students' alcohol use has changed considerably over the past three decades, with this study finding fewer students had consumed alcohol in their lifetime than at any time between 1984 and 2017. Of all students surveyed, 34% reported never having consumed alcohol. Alcohol use was more common among older students, with 76% of 17-year-olds having drank alcohol in the past year, compared to 17% of 12-year-olds

When asked to describe their drinking behaviour around 70% of students saw themselves as 'non-drinkers'. Older students were more likely to perceive themselves to be 'occasional' or 'party drinkers', peaking among 17-year-olds (26% 'occasional drinkers'; 30% 'party drinkers')

Parents continued to be the most common source of alcohol (43% of current drinkers), with friends (25%) being the next most likely to be reported

Lifetime use of alcohol, Australian secondary school students 12-17-year-olds (%), 1999-2017 Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Never consumed alcohol, Australian secondary school students (%), by age and gender, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Never consumed alcohol, Australian secondary school students (%), 2011-2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Never consumed alcohol, Australian secondary school students 12-17 years (%), 1999-2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

%The number of Australian secondary school students aged 12-17 years who have never consumed alcohol has increased significantly, from around one in ten in 1999, to more than one in three in 2017. Non-drinking appears to be increasingly seen as a viable option for young people

Students who describe themselves as a 'non-drinker', Australian secondary school students (%), by age and gender, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Students who describe themselves as a 'non-drinker', Australian secondary school students (%), 2011-2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Students who consumed alcohol in past month, Australian secondary school students (%), by age and gender, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Students who consumed alcohol in past seven days (current drinkers), Australian secondary school students (%), 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Students who consumed alcohol in past seven days (current drinkers), Australian secondary school students (%), 2011-2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Single occasion risky drinker (drank 5 or more drinks on one day in past seven days), Australian secondary school students (%), 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Average number of drinks consumed by current drinkers in past seven days, by age and gender, Australia, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Average number of drinks consumed by current drinkers in past seven days, by age and gender, Australia, 2014-2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Current drinkers who drank 5 or more drinks on one occasion in past seven days, by age and gender, Australia, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Current drinkers and all students who drank 5 or more drinks on one occasion in past seven days, by age and gender, Australia, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Current drinkers who drank 5 or more 4 drinks on one occasion in past seven days, by age and gender, Australia, 2008-2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Drink types most commonly consumed by current drinkers (%), by age and gender, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Changes in preference of drink types most commonly consumed by current drinkers (%), 2002-2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Current drinkers drinking at home, at a party or at a friends' house who consumed their last alcoholic drink under adult supervision (%), 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Current drinkers (12-15-years-old) drinking at home, at a party or at a friends' house who consumed their last alcoholic drink under adult supervision (%), 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Common sources of last alcoholic drink among current drinkers if they did not buy themselves, (%), by age and gender, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Changes in most common sources of last alcoholic drink among current drinkers (%), 2002-2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Common sources of alcohol among current drinkers who had someone else buy alcohol for them (%), by gender, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Most common locations for consuming alcohol for current drinkers (%), by age and gender, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Current drinkers indicating different frequencies of intending to get drunk when they drink alcohol (%), 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Main negative outcomes experienced by current drinkers after drinking alcohol in the past 12 months (%), 2017 (multiple responses allowed)Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Proportion of 12-15 year old current drinkers and proportion drinking more than 4 drinks on a single occasion in the past week, 1984-2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Proportion of 16-17 year old current drinkers and proportion drinking more than 4 drinks on a single occasion in the past week, 1984-2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

Self-description of drinking behaviour by age, Australian secondary school students (%), 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Analgesics

The use of substances such as Disprin, Panadol or Nurofen among students was extremely high - only 5% had never used these medications. Around two-thirds of all students had used analgesics in the past month

The main reasons reported for analgesic use was to help ease the pain associated with a headache/migraine (49%) and easing cold or flu symptoms (28%). Amongst females, 24% reported using analgesics for menstrual pain

At all ages, females were significantly more likely to have used analgesics intheir lifetime, in the past year and past month

Ever used analgesics, Australian secondary school students (%), by age and gender, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Reason for most recent analgesic use by students using in the past year (%), by age, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Cannabis

Cannabis continues to be the most commonly used illicit substance, with 17% of students aged 12-17-years reporting ever using the drug. The proportion of students using cannabis increased with age, with 3% of 12-year-olds and 34% of 17-year-olds reporting lifetime use

Lifetime cannabis use has continued to increase since 2014 amongst the older students. Use had dramatically decreased between 1996 and 2008 but since that time it has steadily increased, although it continues to be at far lower levels than reported in the late 1990s

Lifetime cannabis use, Australian secondary school students (%), 1996-2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Ever used cannabis, Australian secondary school students (%), 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Used cannabis in the past year, Australian secondary school students (%), 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Used cannabis in the past week, Australian secondary school students (%), 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

Inhalants

Unlike other illicit substances used by students, inhalant use was related to age –with use decreasing from the youngest to the oldest students - around one-fifth (19%) of 12-year-old students to 15% to those aged 17 years

Of the 13% of students who had used them in the past year, 43% had tried them only once or twice, and 19% were regular users (used over 10 times in the past year)

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Ever used inhalants, Australian secondary school students (%), by age and gender, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Used inhalants in the past year, Australian secondary school students (%), 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

Other illicit drugs

Use of illicit drugs, other than cannabis, was uncommon. For all drugs, however, the proportion of students using these substances increased with age

Ecstasy continues to be the second most commonly used illicit substance by students behind cannabis, with 6% of 12-17-year-olds reporting lifetime use. Male students were more likely than female students to have used ecstasy. Use amongst older students had risen significantly since 2014

Some of the questions to do with illicits were asked in a different way in 2017, with both amphetamine and opiates categories being expanded

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Ever used hallucinogens, Australian secondary school students (%), by age and gender, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

2 23

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12 years 13 years 14 years 15 years 16 years 17 years

Male Female

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Ever used methamphetamines*, Australian secondary school students (%), by age and gender, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Ever used cocaine, Australian secondary school students (%), by age and gender, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Ever used ecstasy, Australian secondary school students (%), by age and gender, 2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

34

56

10

16

32 2

5

7

9

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12 years 13 years 14 years 15 years 16 years 17 years

Male Female

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Ever used ecstasy, Australian secondary school students (%), by age and gender, 2014-2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Trends in proportion of 17-year-old students reporting lifetime use of illicits, excluding cannabis (%), 1996-2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Trends in proportion of 17-year-old students reporting lifetime use of illicits, (%), 1996-2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

%

Trends in proportion of 17-year-old students reporting lifetime use of cannabis (%), by gender, 1996-2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Trends in proportion of 17-year-old students reporting lifetime use of hallucinogens (%), by gender, 1996-2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Trends in proportion of 17-year-old students reporting lifetime use of meth/amphetamines (%), by gender, 1996-2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

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Trends in proportion of 17-year-old students reporting lifetime use of cocaine (%), by gender, 1996-2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances

%

Trends in proportion of 17-year-old students reporting lifetime use of ecstasy (%), by gender, 1996-2017Guerin & White (2017) ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian Secondary Students' Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Over-the-counter Drugs, and Illicit Substances