PEOPLE MODERATING OWN ALCOHOL, SMOKING AND DRUG USAGE: REPORT

The majority of Australians support policies aimed at reducing
alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug use, and are also making efforts to
kick their own drug habits, according to a report released today by
the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

The 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey detailed findings
report shows that most Australians support reduction policies for
alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs, and that there is very little
support for the legalisation of illicit drugs such as marijuana,
cocaine and ecstasy.

Alcohol was the drug considered to be of most serious concern to the
community, while heroin remained the drug most associated with a 'drug
problem' in Australia.

"There is evidence that Australians are modifying their behaviours in
line with their attitudes," said Dr Paul Meyer from the AIHW's Drug
Surveys and Services Unit.

"While 1 in 5 people consumed alcohol once a month or more at levels
that put them at risk of harm in the short term, half of all recent
drinkers had undertaken at least some alcohol moderation behaviour,
mostly for health reasons."

"And while daily smoking rates fell from 1 in 4 people in 1993 to 1 in
6 in 2007, our new report shows that even among those still smoking in
2007, nearly one-third had reduced their consumption."

"Reductions are also the name of the game when it comes to recent use
of marijuana - down to 9.1 per cent from around 13 per cent in most
previous surveys. And meth/amphetamine use, including 'ice', has also
come down - to 2.3 per cent in 2007 from 3.2 per cent in 2004," Mr
Meyer said.

Cocaine and non-medical uses of tranquillisers and sleeping pills were
the only two drugs for which statistically significant increases in
use were recorded since the previous survey.

The AIHW report shows an association between higher rates of drug use
and self-reported poor health.

It also shows that recent drinkers or illicit drug users are more
likely than non-users or non-drinkers to be the victims of
drug-related incidents, even though most victims had not been drinking
alcohol or taking illicit drugs when the incident occurred.

The 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey was conducted between
July and November 2007, and included over 23,000 Australians aged 12
years or older. The Detailed findings report follows the First results
report and State and Territory comparisons tables released earlier
this year.