Substance Use in the Asia-Pacific Region

Substance use has always been a part of society, from legal substances like alcohol and tobacco to those that are controlled or illicit such as cannabis, amphetamines, and hallucinogens. Across the Asia-Pacific, millions of people who use drugs struggle in silence.For some people, dependence can develop, and when it does, it bring challenges that are often made harder by stigma, discrimination, and lack of support. In many parts of the region, however, laws and policies still focus more on enforcement than on health. This can make it harder for people to access the services and support they need and can leave some without help for their physical or mental health.

Despite the significant health and social impacts of drug dependence, there is a lack of region-wide, comparable research on illicit drug use, harm reduction, and mental health. This gap makes it difficult to understand trends, identify emerging issues, and ensure that services are responsive to people’s needs.

More comprehensive cross-national data on illicit drug use and mental health is needed so each country can learn from the experiences of others and identify approaches that may work in their own context. Such knowledge can help policymakers and health professionals design services that better meet people’s needs.

The Asia-Pacific Substance Use Survey (APSUS) is the world’s first web-based survey project specifically focused on understanding the current state of substance use and harm reduction in the Asia-Pacific region, aiming to reduce harms and improve health outcomes for people who use any substances (PWUS).

This research, launched in 2025 as an international collaborative study of various nations including Japan, Australia, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia aims to support the health and safety of PWUS and provide evidence to inform more compassionate, humanitarian, and effective approaches to drug policies.

Through this survey, we want to:

• Understand how people use substances in their daily lives 
• Learn what people do to stay safe – Document harm reduction practices, services used, and barriers to access.
• Identify mental health needs, challenges, and experiences of PWUS

Identify community priorities for change – Understand what types of support or drug policy reforms people would like to see in their own country.

About APSUS