In its 16th year, the Illicit Drug Data Report 2017–18 (IDDR) provides an authoritative picture of illicit drugs in Australia. It continues to inform policy and operational decisions across government, industry and the not-for-profit sector and focuses efforts to reduce the impact of illicit drugs on our communities.

This report presents new data on vulnerability experienced by older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. It brings together data from more than twenty sources and shows that many Indigenous people have complex and varied needs.

This report summarises the findings from Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, which stands as a guide to inform our understanding of what’s shaping modern Australia.

In 2017–18, 952 publicly-funded alcohol and other drug treatment services provided just under 210,000 treatment episodes to an estimated 130,000 clients. The four most common drugs that led clients to seek treatment were alcohol, amphetamines, cannabis and heroin. Two-thirds (66%) of all clients receiving treatment were male and the median age of clients was 34.

This publication provides an analysis of evidence and research pertaining to drug use dependency impacts and models for recovery that reduce stigma.