A new survey says more people are looking online for cheap prices on drugs like ecstasy and cocaine.

The Global Drug Survey 2015 show the price of ecstasy pills in Australia is double the global average, leading many users to look for a better deal online.

British addictions specialist and survey founder Dr Adam Winstock says there are big issues with buying illicit drugs online, outside of the legality, as there are fewer controls on the safety and quality online drug stores provide.

“Buying things online gives you product range,” he told reporters.

“I think there is an opportunity of getting improved quality. I think some people would perceive it as safer and certainly a lot of people say it's safer to buy drugs online. There's less risk of, you know, getting involved in face to face dealing.”

Dr Winstock said internet drug markets do not tend to create new users.

“What we're seeing is simply a displacement of people who would otherwise buy drugs on the street,” he said.

According to the survey, Australians remain some of the biggest users of prescription drugs, particularly opioids, benzodiazepines, and sleeping tablets.

“I think, in part, that's because other sorts of opiate drugs that are available in Australia are really expensive,” Dr Winstock said.

“That's the other thing that probably characterises the Australian drug scene more than anything else ... your really expensive drugs.”

In other findings, while Australia remains one of the top drinking countries in the world, the survey revealed that about a third of Australians want to drink less.

“Certainly I think Aussies drink above their weight [but] about a third of the Australian drinking population that we surveyed wanted to drink less,” Dr Winstock said.

“And of course, the people who filled our survey in from Australia were in their late 30s, professional, educated ... people you kind of would think ... might know better."

“But actually they're a bunch of people who are probably really functional and alcohol is part of their life.”