Young people’s alcohol and other drugs use

Understanding alcohol and other drugs use by young people

Adolescence is a time of experimentation, curiosity and exploring of identity. For some young people, substance use is seen as a solution rather than a problem. The reasons some young people may smoke, vape, drink or use drugs include:

boredom or curiosity
because it feels good and is fun
to rebel or to take risks
as pain relief (emotionally and physically)
because their parents drink or use
for peer and social acceptance
to escape or deal with uncomfortable feelings.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Australia’s youth alcohol, tobacco and other drugs report (2021), the most commonly used substances by young people in order of preference are:

analgesics (painkillers such as Panadol and Nurofen)
sedatives (such as sleeping tablets and Valium)
alcohol
cannabis
amphetamine type substances (speed, meth and ice)
opiates (heroin, morphine and methadone)
inhalants (glue and paint).

Note

Did you know:

40% of the alcohol consumed by underage drinkers (age 17 or younger) is given to them by parents.
Children and teens given alcohol by their parents are more likely to drink by age 15 or 16.
In 2019-20, over 1 in 10 (11%) clients who sought treatment for their own use of alcohol and other drugs were aged 10-19, and 1 in 4 (26%) were aged 20-29.
In 2019-2020, among clients who sought treatment for their own AOD use, the most common drug of concern for clients aged 10 – 19 was cannabis (59%), followed by alcohol (14%).
Analgesics are the most used substance, with 95% of students aged 12 to 17 having tried them.

Source: AIHW, 2020.

Myths and facts about young people’s alcohol and other drugs use

Myth	Truth
All drugs used by young people will lead to problems later as an adult.	While there are very real risks associated with drug use, most young people who experiment with drugs will not go on to develop major problems in adulthood.
Drinking alcohol is a rite of passage and is safer than taking other drugs.	Although widely perceived as safe and acceptable, drinking alcohol is a risky activity that leads to many more deaths and hospital admissions than illegal drugs.
Most young people use illegal drugs.	The opposite is true. Most young people have never tried illegal drugs or use them on a regular basis.
Vaping is safer than smoking cigarettes.	Vapes often contain nicotine which cause several forms of cancer. With or without nicotine, all e-liquid solutions used in vaping devices contain a mixture of unregulated and harmful chemicals and additives.

Source: Alcohol and Drug Foundation, 2023.

How alcohol and other drugs cause harm

There is no safe level of alcohol or drug use for young people. Alcohol is the most commonly used and most damaging drug among young people.

The earlier a young person starts drinking, the greater their risk of alcohol-related problems in early adulthood and beyond. Young people who start drinking before they are 15 years old are 4 times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who don’t start drinking until they are 21.

At extreme levels, alcohol can cause unconsciousness or abnormal breathing, and alcohol poisoning as a result of binge drinking can cause death.

Vaping and smoking are also harmful activities engaged in by many young people. Some vapes and all cigarettes contain nicotine which is a toxic substance linked to serious health conditions. Further, chemicals contained in vaping devices and cigarettes often resemble those found in paint, cleaning and disinfectant products. Early exposure to nicotine as a teenager can impact brain and learning development and lead to addiction.

The harmful effects of vapes and cigarettes include:

increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, lung disease and diabetes
beathing and chronic respiratory problems
reduced life expectancy and quality of life
dental and fertility problems
hearing and vision loss
increased risk of illness and infections.

Source: Department of Health and Aged Care, 2023

Making decisions

Alcohol and drugs affect a person’s ability to think quickly, make judgements, avoid dangerous situations or risky behaviour, and consider consequences. A young person under the influence of alcohol or drugs may be at higher risk of:

being the victim of sexual, physical or verbal violence
having unprotected sex
not being able to deal with unwanted sexual or physical advances
experiencing hallucinations or delusions that could lead to accidents or injury
getting alcohol poisoning or losing consciousness
being injured
getting into trouble with the police
losing control or behaving inappropriately
harming important relationships or damaging their reputation.

Brain development

Adolescence is an important time for brain development, with lots of new nerve connections and pathways being made. Alcohol and drugs can interrupt this process and even cause mild impairment. (Refer to Brain development: pre-teens and teenagers on the Raising Children Network website.)

In the following video, Amir Levine (psychiatrist and neuroscientist) talks about how a teenager's brain is more susceptible to drug and alcohol dependence.

The teenage brain is primed for addiction.