Young people and illicit drug use in Australia.

M. Holt, Social Research Issues Paper, n.3, Feb., 2005, pp.1-4.

It has been argued that drug use among young people in the UK is becoming increasing normalised. To ascertain whether drug use among young Australians is following this pattern, survey data and social research findings on illicit drug use were 'evaluated against the criteria of the normalisation thesis'. The most recent survey examined indicated that lifetime rates of illicit drug use are increasing for people aged 14 to 24. However, analysis of all the surveys suggested that normalisation has occurred to some extent but only in certain youth subcultures, namely clubbing, dance music and alternative music subcultures. It may be possible to take a harm reduction approach with these populations by 'reinforcing norms of sensible and strategic use with appropriate health information'; however, this may increase the stigmatisation of marginalised drug users and create a false sense of security among young users who 'base their drug-using practices on inaccurate knowledge about drug effects, blood-borne viruses and general health maintenance'.