A NEW national survey has been launched to investigate what young Australians think about drugs.

The survey will also look at how the media can influence youth attitudes on illicit substances.

Australians aged 16 to 24 are invited to add their views to the online survey, which is an initiative of the University of NSW's National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre.

NDARC research fellow Dr Caitlin Hughes said drugs were "one of the most common motifs in popular culture" and yet little was known about the role this played in shaping community views.

A study of 11 Australian newspapers found more than 42,000 references to drugs over six years.

"We know from related fields that media messages can influence peoples knowledge, attitudes and behaviour," Dr Hughes said.

"But there has been very limited research in Australia, or internationally, into the extent to which ... media reporting on drugs influences youth attitudes to illicit drug use.

"This is surprising given the role played by the media in providing information, influencing attitudes and setting policy agendas on drugs."

The survey is anonymous, and it needs input from young people in regional and rural areas as well as the city.

You don't need to have used drugs to take part, Dr Hughes also said.

The results will also form part of a broader study, by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing, into trends in media reporting on drugs.