Alcohol consumption and drug use in a sample of Australian university students

Abstract

Studies of drug use by Australian students have focused on school students rather than university students although overseas research has linked illicit drug use by university students with high-risk characteristics and behaviours. This ground-breaking study of substance use in a sample of Australian university students found that significant proportions of students drank to excess or reported drug use. In addition, a core group reported both drug and alcohol use, but heavy drinkers were less likely than others to report drug use. These results suggest that drugs are a part of the student culture, and that a definite but complex relationship exists between drug and alcohol use in the sample.