In 2007 a NDSHS (National Drugs Strategy Household Survey) took place in Australia. This survey helps highlight the amount of people that have used either drugs, alcohol, tobacco and evaluates how they effect peoples heath. According to this NDSHS survey 38% of people over the age of 14 have admitted to taking illicit drugs in their lives. Approximately 15% of these people have admitted to taking drugs in the last 12 months before the survey took place. Marijuana was the most common taken drug, with one in three people in Australia having taken in their lives. The survey is part of the Drug Statistic Series which is used by the government for funding purposes, to provide more rehabilitation centers, to ensure necessary programs are run by the government to target illicit drugs and is also used to help target the necessary people who need help. This may include specific genders or ages that suffer most from illicit drugs intake.

Firstly, the government uses these statistics to provide funding for all programs and rehabilitation centers that cater for people who may have encountered drugs in their lives. The Department of Health which is an important branch of the Australian Federal Government provides something called the “Substance Misuse Service Delivery Grants Fund”, …show more content…
Between the years of 2011-2012 their was approximately 700 diffrent organisations/associations that provided over 150,000 treatments for people who needed help with drug and alcohol issues. The government can see how much more organisations/associations they need to adopt using the NDSHS survey, as it shows the general trend of the population in the certain year. This can be compared to a before date as to determine whether the trend is decreasing or increasing with more or less rehabilitation