Prevalence

There is currently limited statistical information available on the use of opioids by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.  Recent data from the 2018-19 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS) about the most commonly used illicit substances by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people indicated that ‘other drugs’ (which included heroin, methadone, cocaine, petrol and other inhalants) were the second most commonly used illicit drug (5.9%) behind cannabis (24%) [39231]. However, there was no information available about what proportion of the use of ‘other drugs’ was attributable to opioids.

In 2019, recent use of painkillers and opioids for non-medical purposes was reported by 5.9% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander respondents [35376]. The National Opioid Pharmacotherapy Statistics Annual Data (NOPSAD) collection provides some information on opioid pharmacotherapy treatment for all Australians, based on a snapshot day from the previous year. This includes some data for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Around one in ten opioid pharmacotherapy clients identified as being Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander [42740].

In 2019-20, heroin was the fourth most common principal drug of concern for all clients. Of those clients, 18% were Indigenous Australians [43453]. A recent illicit drug survey of injecting drug users (which included Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants) indicated that heroin was a drug of choice for around 40% of participants [44731].