Waste water shows spike in drug use

ICE remains the most consumed illegal drug in Australia with Victoria, NSW and Western Australia awash with the dangerous drug.

Sydney remains the cocaine capital of Australia, while Melbourne’s top drug of choice is heroin.

The eighth report of the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program found consumption of methylamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA (ecstasy) and heroin in Australia’s capitals were at the highest levels since monitoring started three years ago.

The figures for December 2018-April 2019 released by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission show it was a similar story in regional Victoria, with the exception of heroin use.

According to the data, drug use in regional Australia is rising faster than in the capital cities.

The commission’s chief executive, Michael Phelan, said the latest figures showed demand for drugs “has not gotten any better”.

“Australians have an insatiable demand for all sorts of narcotics and synthetic drugs,” Mr Phelan said.

The findings, from an analysis of 52 wastewater treatment plants across Australia covering about 12.9 million people, found there was a drop in the use of prescription opioids, including oxycodone and fentanyl, although in some areas, including Tasmania, their use increased.

ACIC will not identify the location of the sites for “confidentiality” reasons.

The analysis takes in the flow from prisons, hospitals, offices, hotels and shopping centres in addition to homes.