StatisticsStatistics
Statistical data in Australia about drug use, including inhalants, is collected by several agencies at both a federal and state level. There is a deficit of comprehensive data regarding inhalants users. It is suggested the data is incomplete due to the fact that many inhalants users may fall outside of the demographic covered by the surveys i.e. not attending school, younger than the target age, or not living at home. This should be taken into account when considering the data presented in general drug surveys.
National
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2011). 2010 National Drug Strategy Household Survey report. Drug statistics series no. 25. Cat. no. PHE 145. Canberra: AIHW. [website]
Key findings:
Inhalants were used by 0.6% of the population in 2010, and, of those who had recently used inhalants, 34.7% did so once a month or more. (p.150). Apart from a spike in 1998, there was relatively no change in the proportion of the population who had used inhalants between 1995 and 2007. Recent use of inhalants increased in 2010 and this was mostly due to a statistically significant increase by females. (p.151)
A higher proportion of males (4.4%) than females (3.1%) had used inhalants in their lifetime, but males (07%) recorded only a slightly higher proportion than females (05%) for recent use. (p. 152)
The use of inhalants was low in older age groups, with the highest proportion of users being aged 20–29 years (1.4%) followed by those aged 12–19 years (1.0%). (p.153)
Among recent users of inhalants, 52.7% used once or twice a year and 34.7% used at least once a month, with males were more likely than females to use inhalants more often. (p.153)
Of people aged 14 years or older, just under half perceived inhalants (48.3%) and over-the-counter pain-killers/analgesics (48.0%) to be the easiest illicit drugs to obtain, followed by cannabis (36.5%). (p.156)
White V, & Smith, G (2009) Australian secondary school students’ use of over-the-counter and illicit substances in 2008. Prepared for: National Drug Strategy Unit, Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. [website]
"Reported use of inhalants was more common among younger students than
older students. While 19% of all students had ever used inhalants, ever use decreased
from 23% of 12-year-olds to 14% of 17-year-olds. Recent use of inhalants also
decreased with age, so that while 11% of 12-year-olds had used inhalants in the month
prior to the survey, only 4% of 17-year-olds had used these substances recently. The
proportion of 12- to 15-year-olds using inhalants in their lifetime and in the past month
decreased between 2002 and 2008 but not between 2005 and 2008. Among 16- and 17-
year-olds, significantly more students reported lifetime use and monthly use of
inhalants in 2008 than in 2005, with the 2008 proportions similar to those in 2002." (p.10)
Indigenous
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2011). Substance use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Cat. no. IHW 40.Canberra: AIHW. [website]
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2007). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework, 2006 report: detailed analyses. AIHW cat. no. IHW 20. Canberra: AIHW. (see chapter 2.20 Drug and other substance use including inhalants ) [pdf - 3.23 MB]
States and Territories
Australia Capital Territory
ACT Health (2009), ACT secondary student drug and health risk behaviours: results of the 2008 ACT secondary student alcohol and drug survey, Health series No. 50, Canberra: ACT Health [pdf -1.1Mb]
"The second most commonly reported drug was inhalants with 17.7% of secondary students reporting use at least once in their lifetime and 3.6% reporting use in the last seven days." (p.15)
"Younger students perceived using LSD regularly and sniffing glue, thinners and petrol regularly as less dangerous than older students did." (p.4)
New South Wales
Centre for Epidemiology and Research (2009) New South Wales school students health behaviours survey: 2008 report, Sydney: NSW Department of Health. [website]
"In 2008, among students aged 12-17 years, 19.9 per cent had ever used inhalants. Students aged 12-15 years (21.6 per cent) were significantly more likely than students aged 16-17 years (15.6 per cent) to have ever used inhalants. There was no significant difference between males and females.
The proportion of students who had ever used inhalants decreased significantly between 1996 (27.3 percent) and 2008 (19.9 per cent). The decrease has been significant in students aged 12-15 years (30.7 percent to 21.6 per cent).
However, there has been no significant change in the proportion of students aged 12-17 years who had ever used inhalants between 2005 and 2008. " (p. 141)
Queensland
Australian Institute of Health & Welfare (2006) 2004 National drug strategy household survey: selected results for Queensland, Prepared for Queensland Health. [pdf - 172 kB]
Queensland Health (2007).Illicit drug use among Queensland school students aged 12 to 17 years, 2005. Brisbane: Queensland Government [pdf -557 kB]
South Australia
Drug and Alcohol Services. Statistics on illicit drug use in South Australia. [website]
Drug and alcohol Services. Illicit drug use among South Australian secondary school students. [website]
Victoria
White V, et.al. (2006) Victorian secondary school students' use of licit and illicit substances in 2005: results from the 2005 Australian Secondary school students’ Alcohol and Drug Survey, Melbourne: Victorian Department of Human Services. [website]
“In 2005, 17% of students surveyed reported that they had deliberately sniffed inhalants at least once in their lifetime, 13% said they had used inhalants in the past year, and 7% in the past month. Most students who had used inhalants in the past month had used them only once or twice. Unlike other substances, inhalant use decreased with age.” (p. iv)
The Victorian Drug Statistics Handbook 2006: Patterns of drug use and related harm in Victoria, Melbourne: Victorian Government Publishing Service. [pdf - 1.89 MB]
“Two per cent of Victorian 2004 National Drug Household Survey respondents reported lifetime use of inhalants, with 0.2% reporting inhalant use in the 12 months prior to the survey (21% of those who had ever used inhalants). Reported lifetime use was low across all age groups, with 4% of those aged 20–34 reporting lifetime inhalants use (Table 78). The median age of first use of inhalants was 16 years” (p.196).
Western Australia
Griffiths P, Kalic R, McGregor C and Gunnell A (2011). National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2007: Western Australian Households, DAO Surveillance Report: Number 05. Perth, Western Australia; Drug and Alcohol Office. [pdf - 1.1 MB] see page 71 for inhalant statistics.
Haynes, R., Kalic, R., Griffiths, P., McGregor, C. and Gunnell, A. (2010). Australian School Student Alcohol and Drug Survey: Illicit Drug Report 2008 – Western Australian results. Drug and Alcohol Office Surveillance Report: Number 3. Perth: Drug and Alcohol Office [pdf - 1.1 MB] see page 32 for inhalant statisics.
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Archive section:
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2008). 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey: detailed findings. Drug Statistics Series number 20.Cat. no. PHE 98. Canberra: AIHW. [website]
White V, & Hayman J. (2005) Australian secondary school students’ use of over-the-counter and illicit substances in 2005. Prepared for: National Drug Strategy Unit, Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. [website]
ACT Health (2007), Substance use and other health-related behaviours among ACT secondary students: results of the 2005 ACT secondary student alcohol and drug survey, health series number 39, ACT Health, Canberra. [pdf - 332 kB]
Centre for Epidemiology and Research (2007) New South Wales school students health behaviours survey: 2005 report, Sydney: NSW Department of Health. [website]
Government of Western Australia, Drug and Alcohol Office, Use of inhalants by WA school students in 2005. [pdf - 398 kB]
Government of Western Australia, Drug and Alcohol Office (2003), Volatile substance related deaths in Western Australia 1997-2001. [pdf - 55 kB]
{page last updated: 29 July 2011} |
