Drug harm prevention needs among adolescents in Aotearoa New Zealand: findings from the Youth19 Survey.

Background: Drug use (including tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs) is a leading cause of premature death, health loss and health inequities in Aotearoa New Zealand. Effective prevention and early intervention have potential to reduce drug-related human suffering across the lifecourse, thus decreasing pressure on health and social services.

Methods: To inform policy and practice, we investigated drug harm indicators among secondary students in Aotearoa and identified sub-populations at greatest need. We used Youth19 survey data (N=7,721) to investigate five indicators related to e-cigarette, tobacco, alcohol or cannabis use: prevalence of 1) past month use, 2) heavy use, 3) worry about use, 4) desire to cut down or stop, and 5) reported difficulty accessing cessation help.

Results: We found many adolescents, particularly those who used tobacco, were worried about their own drug use and wanted to cut down, yet getting appropriate help was not always easy. Need was not evenly spread; Māori, Pacific and LGBTQ+ youth, those aged under 16 years and those living in small towns, rural areas and the most socio-economically deprived communities had higher needs on many indicators.

Conclusion: Greater investment in drug harm prevention and early intervention may be warranted, with a focus on under-served populations.