The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released the World Drug Report 2014 last month. The report states that in Australia “annual prevalence of opioid use … is estimated to be more than four times the global average”, showing a high prevalence of misuse of prescription opioids. While supply of heroin decreased, prescription opioid use – in particular, oxycodone – increased.
The report also found that in Australia men are more likely than women to use illicit drugs, but that men and women are equally likely to abuse pharmaceuticals.
Source: UNODC World Drug Report, United Nations, June 2014.
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