Drug Abuse in the Global Village
Drug Abuse in Asia
Drug Abusers Characteristics in the Pacific Region
ABUSER CHARACTERISTICS
AUSTRALIA
In general, abusers tend to be males, 14 to 35 years of age, although abuse is more pronounced among those aged 14 to 24. As indicated above, the tendency to characterize the abuser as a young male is somewhat misleading, because abuse among Australian women in general, especially young women 14 to 24 years old, is considerable (Department of Health 1992).
Table 1 Proportion of population who have used illicit drugs in the past year, type of drug, age, sex, 1991.
(Per cent)
Males (years) Females (years)
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14-24 25-39 40+ Total 14-24 25-39 40+ Total Total
persons
Marijuana 38 25 3 17 20 13 2 9 13
Amphetamines 11 5 - 4 6 1 - 2 3
Barbiturates 3 3 1 2 2 1 2 2 2
Cocaine/crack 3 2 (a) 1 1 - 1 1 1
Hallucinogens 9 3 (a) 3 3 - - 1 2
Heroin (a) 2 (a) - 2 (a) - 1 1
Inhalants 5 1 (a) 1 2 (a) 1 1 1
Ecstasy/designer 4 2 1 2 2 - - 1 1
Injected illicit drugs 2 1 - 1 1 (a) (a) - 1
Total illicit drugs(b) 41 25 4 19 24 14 4 11 15
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(a) Suppressed due to high sampling error.
(b) Any of the drugs listed above.
Source: NCADA National Household Survey 1991.
FIJI
Law enforcement reports attribute drug abuse to poor home background, peer group pressure, poor relationships with parents, lack of self esteem, experimentation and rebellion, boredom, and unemployment (Fiji 1993).
FRENCH POLYNESIA
Drug abusers in French Polynesia tend to be males (75-80 per cent in 1990) (U.N. 1990).
Most abusers of cannabis are young male students or young unemployed persons and are between 10 and 30 years of age. Hallucinogen abusers are reported mainly in the 15-35 age group, and volatile solvent abusers between 8 and 20 years of age (U.N. 1990).
NAURU
No information reported by 31st December 1993.
NEW CALEDONIA
Cannabis abusers are reported to be mainly males (80 per cent) in the 16 to 25 age group. Students and young unemployed persons are reported most at risk of drug abuse (U.N. 1986).
NEW ZEALAND
About 42 per cent of opiate abusers, 33 per cent of cannabis abusers and 27 per cent of hallucinogens abusers are estimated to be females (U.N. 1992). Most abusers range from 20-39 years of age (New Zealand 1992).
Abusers of illicit drugs are reported to be mainly males (95 per cent of the cannabis abusers), and young (8-30 years old for cannabis, 18-26 for cocaine) (U.N. 1992). Particular groups at risk of drug abuse are reported to be farmers and students (CMO 1991).
SOLOMON ISLANDS
No information reported by 31st December 1993.
TONGA
Cannabis abusers are reported as 17 to 21 year olds. Most abusers are unemployed, particulary the Tongans returning home from USA (U.N. 1990).
WESTERN SAMOA
Most drug abusers are adolescents and young adults (Samoa 1993).