Recreational drug use is a part of many people’s lives and that isn’t set to change. But who is using the drugs, what are they taking and how can they do it as safely as possible? Since 1999, the Global Drug Survey has been adding to our knowledge. What started as a small survey in UK clubbing magazine Mixmag now attracts more than 100,000 respondents from more than 25 countries and is the world’s largest drug survey.
“We have a strong focus on harm reduction,” says Cheneal Puljevic, a researcher at the University of Queensland’s School of Public Health, who will lead this year’s survey. “Whether governments like it or not, people do use drugs so we’re trying to help make it safer, regardless of the drug’s legal status.”
In many countries, including New Zealand, alcohol remains the drug consumed by most respondents. In the last survey in 2022, 84% of the 7495 Kiwis who took part reported drinking alcohol. Cannabis, at 43%, was the next most used drug. Over the past seven years, most global regions have seen an increase in MDMA, cocaine, amphetamine and ketamine use. The stage of our lives when we’re using drugs tends to be between ages 16-24. The highest percentage of drug use is among those who prefer electronic dance music and regularly go clubbing. Meanwhile, those who listen to jazz and classical are the least likely to be taking recreational drugs.
Each year, the online survey poses the same set of core questions, says Puljevic. “What drugs have you used? How often? How much do you pay for them? Then we pick out a few other topics of interest. This year for the first time, we’re asking about performance- and image-enhancing drugs like steroids.
“Arrests for steroids have increased in Australia over the past decade by 218% and needle exchange clinics report a rise in clients who are using steroids, particularly on the Gold Coast. These drugs carry a risk of cardiovascular issues, impotency for men and infertility for women. So, the survey will dig into steroid use to understand what people are using, where they’re getting it from and what their concerns are.”
Illicit tobacco use is also being investigated for the first time this year. This has become a substantial problem for Australia, which has increasingly strict vaping laws and an underresourced border force.
And there is a focus on nitrous oxide. “Nitrous has been huge in the UK,” says Puljevic. “In nightclubs people have been walking round with balloons filled with nitrous and handing them out to be inhaled.”
Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, gives its users a rapid but short-lived feeling of euphoria and calm. However, it is a neurotoxin, so regular use can result in nerve damage and permanent disability. To combat the problem, the UK decided to make nitrous a banned substance. “As we know, that often has the opposite effect,” says Puljevic. “It moves a substance underground, where it’s unregulated.”
One of the main purposes of collecting all this data is to develop tools and resources to reduce risk. The survey’s founder, drug and alcohol specialist Adam Winstock, has created an app, Drinks Meter, to help people keep track of their alcohol intake, and an educational programme, Staying Safe, that equips university students with the skills to make safe choices around alcohol, drugs and sex.
The Global Drug Survey is also useful for governments, providing the evidence needed to make informed decisions. Since it is encrypted and anonymous, hard-to-reach sectors of society are more likely to have a voice. “We were able to do the world’s largest study of meth cooks,” says Puljevic. “It was only 125 people, but no other study has got close to that because they’re difficult to find.”
She is hoping to make this year’s survey the largest one yet. It runs until April 30, takes 20-30 minutes to complete and can be found at globaldrugsurvey.com
“It’s open to anyone aged 16 and over who has used at least one drug in the past year, including alcohol and tobacco. Even if someone only drinks occasionally, we still want them to fill out the survey.”
