BB53

Author Deborah Bradford and Laura Rodwell
Published August 2010
Report Type Bureau Brief No. 53
Subject Alcohol; Drugs and Drug Courts; Lockouts / Night-time economy
Keywords alcohol, illicit drugs, licensed premises

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Summary

Aim

The aim of this paper is to examine what proportion of current alcohol consumers are also current consumers of psycho-stimulants in the Australian population.

Method

Using population survey data obtained from the 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, this brief considers the proportion of alcohol drinkers who report recent consumption of amphetamines and cocaine.

Results

Among the sample of survey respondents 18 years and over results showed that the level of psychostimulant use was low among the population of alcohol consumers. This finding was evident even among those drinkers who reported drinking most frequently and in the most risky manner. For those respondents estimated to be at the highest risk for alcohol-related harm, only 12.9 per cent reported use of amphetamines and 8.6 per cent reported use of cocaine in the 12 months prior to the survey.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that in the general population, concurrent use of alcohol and psycho-stimulants is likely to be low.

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