Four in five surveyed Australian festival-goers have used MDMA at one stage in the past year, new research presented to an inquest suggests.
Criminologist Caitlin Hughes told the NSW inquest into MDMA-related deaths at music festivals, her study analysed responses from one of the largest surveys of Australian festival users ever.
The research published on Wednesday suggests, of 5155 Australians who attended a music festival in the past year, 99.7 per cent had used alcohol and 79.5 per cent had used MDMA in the past year.
Three in four had used cannabis in the past year while cocaine use (69.1 per cent) was also popular.
But while almost half of all alcohol users consumed at least once a week, cannabis users consumed on average once every 12 days and MDMA users typically used less than once a month.
Two-thirds of alcohol users consumed at least five standard drinks in a single sitting, which is considered "binge" drinking.
Dr Hughes said given the survey was self-selective, it may not be indicative of all festivalgoers but could show how those young people use alcohol and other illicit drugs.
"When you look at illicit drug (use) patterns specifically, it's consistent with non-problematic ways," Dr Hughes told the inquest.
"It's not to say people who go to festivals aren't using in problematic ways (but) the majority will be using fairly infrequently, fairly modestly and only going to festivals once or twice (a year).
Families of the young people whose deaths are the subject of an inquest gather outside the NSW Coroners Court Source: AAP
"They're educated, have jobs and are productive, full members of society."
Research also out on Wednesday, led by Monica Barratt using results from the same survey, suggested one in 23 people sought emergency treatment after consuming alcohol, compared to one in 40 for MDMA or one in 100 for cannabis.
"While we're focusing on MDMA, alcohol is the drug that is associated with most problematic rates of use," Dr Hughes told the inquest.
"So particularly when combined with Dr Barratt's research, it shows the importance of considering poly-drug (multi-drug) consumption ... particularly to reduce alcohol consumption at these settings."
The inquest is examining the deaths of six young people who consumed MDMA at NSW music festivals and later died.
Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame is also looking at harm reduction measures, policing and other factors that could prevent future deaths.
