Drug statistics

Illicit drug use in the last 12 months

According to the 2022-23 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, 17.9% of Australians had used an illicit drug in the last 12 month, a significant increase from 2019 (16.4%). The South Australian percentage was slightly lower at 17%, which was stable from 2019 (15.4%). See graph below.

The most commonly used illicit drug in South Australia (at least once in the last 12 months) in 2022-23 was cannabis (11.1%) followed by cocaine (4.1%), hallucinogens (2.1%) and ecstasy (1.3%). The use of cocaine and hallucinogens increased significantly from 2019 (2.5% and 0.7%, respectively). Recent use of methamphetamine was low at only 1.1% in 2022-23. Recent non-medical use of painkillers and pharmaceutical stimulants was at 2% and 2.1%, respectively in 2022-23.

The percentage of South Australian men who reported recent use of illicit drugs was higher than that of women (20.7% compared with 13.7%) and there was a significant increase among men between 2019 (16.7%) and 2022-23 (20.7%). The age group with the highest percentage of people who reported recent illicit drug use was aged 18-24 years (36.3%); there were no significant changes between 2019 and 2022-23 for any age group.

See the summary of Australian and South Australian data (PDF 28KB). 

Illicit drug use among secondary school students(1)

The percentage of students that had ever used at least one illicit drug (includes cannabis, meth/amphetamine, ecstasy, cocaine, heroin and hallucinogens) has decreased significantly since 1996. In 2023-23, 13.1% of students reported ever using at least one illicit drug and 11% reported using in the last year; this remained stable between 2017 and 2022-23. There were no changes in the lifetime use of at least one illicit drug between 2017 and 2.22-23 by sex (12.6% to 14.4% among male students, and 13.4% to 11.6% among female students), or in use in the last year (10.7% to 12.3% among male students, and 11.8% to 9.5% among female students). There were also no differences between male and female students in 2022-23.

There was a significant decrease between 2017 and 2022-23 among students aged 12-15 years (9.7% to 6.4%) in the percentage that had ever used at least once illicit drug, and a significant increase among students aged 16-17 years (18.2% to 27.7%). During 2022-23, students aged 16-17 years were significantly more likely to have ever used at least one illicit drug (27.7% compared with 6.4% of those aged 12-15 years) or to have used at least one in the last year (23.1% compared with 5.6% of those aged 12-15 years).

Cannabis was the most used illicit drug by 11.1% of students in their lifetime in 2022-23, stable from 2017 (10.2%), but a significant decrease since 1996. There was also no change in use in the last year (9.6% in 2017 and 9.3% in 2022-23). Estimates for female students were too unreliable for use, but there were no changes in the use of cannabis between 2017 and 2022-23 among male students.

There was a significant decrease between 2017 and 2022-23 among students aged 12-15 years in the percentage that had ever used cannabis (6.7% to 4.2%) or had used cannabis in the last year (5.5% to 3.5%); there were no changes among students aged 16-17 years. During 2022-23, students aged 16-17 years were significantly more likely to have ever used cannabis (26.1% compared with 4.2% of those aged 12-15 years) or to have used cannabis in the last year (22.2% compared with 3.5% of those aged 12-15 years).

For more information, see the following publications:

Illicit drug use requiring treatment services

Of the 84 South Australian publicly funded alcohol and other drug treatment agencies in 2024-25, 62% were non-government, an increase from 53% in 2014-15. Almost three-fifths (56%) were in metropolitan Adelaide, 38% in inner or outer regional areas and 6% in remote/very remote areas. The number of agencies decreased from 91 in 2023-24.

There were 8,591 clients receiving treatment for their own alcohol and/or drug use, which equates to 508 per 100,000 population, an increase from 2023-24 (7,887 clients; 480 per 100,000 population). The jurisdiction with the highest rate was the Northern Territory (1,300 per 100,000 population), and the lowest New South Wales (362 per 100,000 population).

Of the clients who received treatment for their own alcohol and/or drug use, 63% were male, 55% were aged 30-49 years and 18% were Indigenous, which is lower than the national proportion of clients that were Indigenous (20%).

Alcohol was the most common principal drug of concern in South Australia (35% of closed treatment episodes provided to clients for their own drug use; 40% in 2023-24). The jurisdiction with the highest proportion of episodes with alcohol as the principal drug of concern was the Northern Territory (72%), and the lowest Victoria (38%). Methamphetamine was the next most common principal drug of concern in South Australia (25%; 25% in 2023-24); the jurisdiction with the highest proportion of closed episodes was Western Australia (26%), and the lowest the Northern Territory (12%).

Up until 2015-16, alcohol was the most common principal drug of concern, when it was replaced by methamphetamine. This has shifted in more recent years: in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the proportion of episodes where alcohol was the principal drug of concern was greater than methamphetamine. The proportion of closed treatment episodes where any amphetamines were the principal drugs of concern has been consistently higher in South Australia than the national proportion, 36% compared with 28% in 2024-25.

Cannabis was the principal drug of concern for 13% of closed treatment episodes in South Australia (15% in 2024-25); the jurisdictions with the highest proportion were the Northern Territory (18%), and the lowest the Australian Capital Territory (11%).

Counselling was the most common treatment type provided for clients seeking treatment for their own alcohol and/or drug use (42%), followed by assessment only (21%) and withdrawal management (14%). The jurisdiction with the highest proportion of closed treatment episodes with counselling as the treatment type was Western Australia (60%), and the lowest in the Northern Territory (17%).

More detailed findings are provided in the following research publication:


Overdose deaths

Information on the number and rate of drug-induced deaths in Australia among between 2004 and 2023 can be found in a bulletin released by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre. This bulletin reports on opioid, amphetamine, and cocaine-induced deaths provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) using data from the National Coronial Information System (NCIS).

This bulletin includes an online visualisation that allows viewers to look at trends over time by drug, opioid class, jurisdiction, sex, age group, intent, as well as reporting on drug-induced deaths where amphetamine or cocaine are contributory (capturing where cocaine or amphetamine contributed to, but another drug caused, death).

Drug trends

The Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS) provides information about drug trends:


Blood-borne virus infection

The Australian Needle and Syringe Program Survey (ANSPS) provides estimates of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) antibodies among people who inject drugs in Australia.

HCV antibody prevalence in Australia has decreased in the last five years, from 36% in 2021 to 32% in 2025; although there was an increase in 2023 (45%), this decreased significantly in 2024 and 2025. HCV antibody prevalence in South Australia also decreased between 2021 (30%) and 2025 (27%), but this was not significant. There has been a decrease in the longer term, with 47% in 2015.

For HIV, antibody prevalence has remained stable in the last five years in Australia, with 1.5% in 2021 and 1.8% in 2025.  In South Australia, HIV antibody prevalence has remained very low over the last five years. Only one respondent tested positive for HIV in 2025, with 31 nationally.