Is it a drug problem or an alcohol problem?

In yesterday's blog post we discussed how and where you can get help with safely taking drugs in the ACT as we navigate transitioning away from the negative stigma that currently surrounds drug use. Today we are looking at where and why that drug use occurs and the link that we can see between alcohol use and drug use. 

50% of our respondents answered that they had tried recreational drugs at least once in their lives with the other 50% saying that they had never tried any drugs ever. This gives us an understanding into the breakdown of our respondents. From the 50% that said they had tried illicit drugs at least once, 16.6% said that they regularly take drugs roughly once a month. 8.3% said they take drugs once or twice a week and another 8.3% said they take illicit substances five or more times a week. This wide range of people helps us to deepen our understanding of drug use predominantly in the ACT. 

As our study was 54.2% university students it is interesting to note that 50% of respondents had taken drugs before. Alcohol and drug use on campus are very common, alcohol use more so than the latter, but most uni events feature drinking as a main feature. Many of these events are unregulated and standard drinks are not watched. 

https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/health-advice/alcohol 

This environment creates an easy point where people can be tipped over the edge and to undertake activities that they normally wouldn't. 71.4% of our respondents believed they were more likely to consume drugs when under the influence or presence of alcohol. So, with social events with drinking creating such an influence on our rational thoughts, how often are we going out? 37.5% of respondents said that they participate in social activities at least once a week, with 33.3% saying multiple times a week. But only 8.3% of respondents describe themselves as a “party animal”. Social events are almost essential to all young adults we know, but being aware of each other's limits and watching out for friends is just as essential as the party itself. 

So where does it happen? 20.8% said that house parties precipitate recreational drug use the most, another 20.8% said that clubs do, 50% agreed that festivals are a main source of drug precipitation and 8.4% said that “all of the above” situations precipitated recreational drug use. 

What are we taking? Cannabis was the most commonly used illicit drug in 2019 in Australia. The same survey found that 65% of recent users said that their primary source of cannabis was through friends, which correlates with our survey finding that 63%, saying they felt most comfortable talking about drug use with close friends. Below are some fact sheets on other drug use in Australia. 

Fact sheets from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

Tomorrow we will finish up by talking about a disconnect between the ease of finding party drugs and the lack of knowledge surrounding relevant support services.