Australia is a nation where alcohol and drug use has become deeply ingrained in society. Today, we rank among the highest consumers of methamphetamine per capita globally and have one of the world’s highest rates of alcohol dependence. But how did we get here?
To understand this alarming reality, it’s essential to delve into the history of drug and alcohol use in Australia. From the arrival of rum with the First Fleet to the evolving trends of recreational drug use, the story reveals the social, cultural and economic factors that have shaped our complex relationship with these substances.
Drug and alcohol use – an historical view
Alcohol and other drugs were not traditionally part of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander cultures. While some communities did produce mild alcoholic beverages from plants, their use was strictly regulated by cultural rules that governed when and how they could be consumed.
The big change, of course, came with European Settlement. Many of the first convicts, soldiers and governors who came to Australia on the First Fleet were addicted to alcohol. Not surprisingly, within weeks of arrival of the First Fleet the first pubs were opened and Australia’s reliance on alcohol and other drugs started to be shaped.
Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were soon introduced to western alcohol. In fact, many were paid for labouring with alcohol and tobacco. Some men were even plied with alcohol and encouraged to fight each other for the entertainment of European settlers.
The rise of opium in Australia
Alcohol wasn’t the only drug to be brought to Australia on the First Fleet boats. There were some cannabis plants, supposedly to kick-start a hemp rope industry. Plus there were bottles of opium for medicinal purposes.
The addition of opiates on the First Fleet is an interesting tale. According to an article in the Daily Telegraph, for centuries, opiates were widely used in Europe, particularly for its pain-relieving and stress-reducing properties. By the 18th century, opium use had become increasingly prevalent in Britain. At the same time, the British recognised a lucrative market for opium in China.
To capitalise on this demand, the British cultivated opium in India and exported it to China. This trade eventually sparked two major conflicts—the Opium Wars of 1839–42 and 1856–60—when China sought, unsuccessfully, to halt the British importation of the drug. These wars solidified Britain’s dominance in the opium trade and left lasting scars on Chinese society.
In the 1830s, there were even discussions about growing opium in Australia. However, these plans never materialised. Despite this, as European settlement expanded in the colonies, so did the demand for opium, used primarily as a painkiller and a means to alleviate stress.
The mid-19th century gold rushes brought a significant influx of Chinese migrants to Australia’s goldfields. Along with their culture and traditions, they also brought opium. By 1857, colonial governments introduced import duties on opium—not as a measure to restrict the drug itself but as a discriminatory tactic aimed at deterring Chinese immigration.
In areas with large Chinese communities, such as Sydney, opium dens became a common sight. These establishments catered to addicts who would recline on makeshift beds and smoke opium pipes. While many British settlers viewed this practice as a strange and unsettling “oriental vice,” the exotic allure of these dens occasionally drew curious visitors from European backgrounds.
As the harmful effects of addiction became more apparent, anti-opium societies emerged to combat its spread. Despite these efforts, opium remained largely legal into the early 20th century, though its use became increasingly regulated, particularly as a prescription medication. The legacy of this period reflects a complicated relationship with opium, tied to colonialism, cultural prejudice and evolving attitudes toward drug use.
The other interesting aspect at looking back on opium’s use in Australia is that it reflects the issues today with some licit medicines. Drugs such as fentanyl, ketamine, benzodiazepines and ADHD medication, which serve important medical purposes but are all-to-commonly misused recreationally.
The criminalisation of drugs
It wasn’t until 1905 that Australian states began introducing laws to ban the sale, production, possession and use of smoking opium. By 1914, additional measures were enacted to regulate the importation of opium, morphine, heroin and cocaine. These substances were restricted for medical purposes only, reflecting a growing effort to control access to potentially addictive drugs.
However, opiate use in Australia saw a significant rise following World War I. Many servicemen returned home with injuries requiring treatment and medical corps frequently prescribed opiate-based painkillers. Unfortunately, this practice led to many veterans developing dependencies on these “medicinal” drugs. In response, some pharmacists continued to illegally provide veterans with opiates, a black-market trade that resulted in police raids and arrests.
Around this time, public discourse on drug use became increasingly polarised. Media outlets categorised substances as either legitimate for “medical use” or associated with “illegal use,” with the latter being portrayed as inherently linked to immorality, criminality and danger. This marked a turning point in societal attitudes, where certain drugs—and the people using them—were stigmatised, reinforcing stereotypes that persist in some forms to this day.
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By looking at the history of alcohol and drugs in Australia we can get a better sense of how we got to where we are today.