Phoenix grew up in a ‘violent home’ and describes his parents as ‘alcoholics’. In his mid-teens his parents separated and he left home and began drinking regularly.
When Scott was in his early twenties, he went drinking regularly with his friends. He also worked at a nightclub, which he says gave him many opportunities to drink.
Andrew started smoking cannabis daily in his late teens and in his twenties he started drinking alcohol heavily. He now describes his alcohol and cannabis consumption as ‘addictions’.
In his early twenties, Artemis began smoking cannabis with his partner at the time and a few years later, after moving to Australia, he started taking drugs sometimes referred to as party drugs.
Jacob started smoking cannabis in his late teens when he was studying for a tertiary qualification as he found it helped him concentrate on his studies.
Sydalicious started smoking cannabis when she was in her late teens and has smoked it intermittently since then. She finds it helps her manage pain associated with injuries she sustained in a motorcycle accident.
In his early twenties, Ted began smoking cannabis daily, and then a few years later he started taking MDMA, cocaine and GHB regularly. He also took ice and ketamine occasionally.
Barry started drinking regularly and smoking cannabis in his early teens after a close family member died. In his early twenties, he began taking heroin and has continued to take it on and off since then, which he now describes as ‘an addiction’.
Jack began taking heroin occasionally in his twenties and stopped in his early thirties after his doctor prescribed him morphine and Xanax® (alprazolam).
Misja found himself homeless in his pre-teenage years. He says he began taking ‘anything’ he could to ‘get high’ and in his early teens he started taking heroin regularly.
When Peter was in his early twenties he tried a variety of drugs but avoided heroin. Then in his late twenties, he decided to try heroin and since then has taken it intermittently.
Sophie first tried cannabis as a pre-teen and after some time, she started smoking heroin through a bong. When she found she ‘wasn’t getting a kick anymore’ she started to inject it.
Ethan grew up in what he describes as a ‘very religious and restricted’ household. In his late teens he began a relationship and moved in with his boyfriend.
During her teens Renee smoked cannabis daily with her then partner. The relationship ended when she was in her early twenties and it was around this time that she began taking ecstasy and ice.
Scarlett first tried ice in her early twenties but didn’t take it again for a couple of years. Then she started taking it with her partner every couple of months.
Throughout much of his thirties, Sean took heroin, ice and cocaine, typically with friends, sometimes in relationships, and also alone. His drug consumption changed when he began a new relationship in his late thirties.