Summary - Department of Health and Ageing

Drug use problems and mental illness are the leading causes of disease and injury in
Australians aged 15 to 24 years, and the two often occur together in the same individuals
and population groups. Some patterns of use may both cause mental health problems and
exacerbate existing ones. The following findings are of particular interest.
Tobacco has been recently linked with the development of depression in young
people.
Alcohol is strongly linked with anxiety and depression, particularly in those who are
dependent on alcohol, and this increases the risks of violence and suicidal behaviour.
Alcohol dependence is a major risk factor for suicide and suicidal behaviour in young
people is associated with both cannabis and alcohol use. Intoxication also plays a role,
through disinhibition of dangerous behaviour.
Cannabis can exacerbate symptoms of mental health problems and, in vulnerable
individuals, precipitate psychotic episodes that are similar to schizophrenia. A number
of recent studies have documented a relationship between adolescent cannabis use and
later mental health problems, but the evidence is not consistent across studies.
Heavy ‘binges’ on amphetamine-type drugs are associated with reckless and
aggressive behaviour and, when sustained over days, may precipitate a psychosis.
There is thought to be a link between ecstasy use, cognitive deficits and psychiatric
problems, but this has proven difficult to research as many ecstasy users also use a
range of other drugs.
Among heroin users, psychological problems are common, particularly depression,
anxiety and antisocial personality disorder.
The only national survey of alcohol and other drug use among Indigenous peoples (the
NDS Household Survey Urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Supplement)
was undertaken in 1994, and this still provides the best base-line estimates of the
prevalence of substance use in this population. Compared to the overall Australian
population, Indigenous people were:
almost twice as likely to have smoked in the last 12 months;
less likely to be current drinkers: those who did drink, did so less frequently but when
they drank, were more likely to do so at high risk levels;
more likely to have used at least one illicit drug (usually cannabis) both in their
lifetime and recently;
more likely to have injected illicit drugs; and
almost twice as likely to have inhaled solvents at some time.
Drug-related harm is also experienced at higher levels, particularly deaths caused by
alcohol and tobacco. Western Australian figures showed an increase, between 1994 and
2000, of hepatitis C notifications and hospital admission rates for conditions caused by
drugs other than tobacco and alcohol.