Heroin used more often, cocaine use up. What new data says about drug use today
Established drugs – such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine – continue to demand attention. Here’s what else the latest drug trends tell us.
In Australia, heroin use patterns have shifted significantly over the past two decades. While heroin use was once at a peak during the 1990s, followed by a period of low availability in the early 2000s, recent data shows heroin is now being used more frequently. In 2000, around 79% of the sample reported using heroin within the previous six months, compared to 51% in 2026.
However, those who do use heroin are using it daily on average, marking the highest frequency since monitoring began in 2000. This increase in frequency has been accompanied by a significant rise in the proportion of participants likely to have opioid dependence. Similarly, other stimulant drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine have also seen changes in usage patterns.
Recent cocaine use has tripled among people who use ecstasy and other stimulants since 2007, before stabilising. Most recently, 84% of the national sample reported recent cocaine use in 2026, the highest percentage in the past 20 years. Methamphetamine use, mainly crystal methamphetamine or "ice," remains common among people who inject drugs, with eight in ten reporting usage each month.
These trends align with global increases in cocaine and methamphetamine production and supply, leading to heightened stimulant-related harms in Australia.
Illicit tobacco use has remained relatively stable over the past two decades, but the source of tobacco products has changed. Since 2024, reported use of illicitly traded tobacco has increased year-on-year, mirroring broader shifts in Australia's illicit tobacco market. However, this increase does not necessarily translate to more people smoking overall, as overall use and frequency of tobacco use remain stable among the sampled groups. Daily smoking rates have also continued to decline in the general population.
Nitrous oxide use has remained stable among both groups of people sampled. However, for the first time, participants were more likely to report using large canisters of nitrous oxide containing up to 2 kilograms, rather than traditional smaller bulbs. While the frequency of nitrous oxide use remains low, the shift towards larger canisters is a concern, as international evidence suggests it may increase the risk of serious neurological harms, including nerve damage with long-lasting impacts on mobility and coordination.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
