GAPS FOUND IN DRUG USE DATA - ABS

Information on the impact of illicit drug use on families and the
community was scant despite the mass of data on substance abuse, a
new report has found.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) guide to the availability
of data on the use of illicit drugs identified gaps in a number of
areas.

"Illicit drug use is of international concern and has become a major
cause of concern within the Australian community as it affects so
many facets of society," the ABS said.

While plenty of information was available on the impact of drugs on
users, the effect on families and communities was not extensively
documented.

"There appears to be little national data which indicate the impact
of illicit drug use on others," the ABS said.

"While many surveys have been designed to obtain information from
users of illicit drugs, few surveys have been designed to gain
information from those who do not use illicit drugs, regarding their
experiences and knowledge of social consequences of illicit drug use
by others."

The impact of substance abuse on social welfare issues was also a gap in data.

"There is little data on the extent and nature of the associations
between illicit drug use and issues such as child neglect, violence,
financial difficulties, social isolation, marriage breakdowns and
homelessness," the report said.

The ABS also identified a lack of up-to-date information on the
economic costs of drug use.

"There are considerable economic costs associated with illicit drug
use and its consequences on the Australian community, borne by
individuals, businesses and governments," it said.

"For example it is not possible to estimate the cost of ambulance
services associated with illicit drug use because national data are
not available on how often ambulances attend overdoses or accidents
resulting from the use of illicit drugs."