Australia finds a record methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin consumption in the analysis of wastewater | Health news

Australians have consumed drug value of around $ 7.5 billion, which represents a 34% increase in annual consumption.

There has been a strong increase in drug use in Australians, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroine consumption, all reaching record levels, according to the latest analysis of wastewater from Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC).

Friday, the ACC annual report revealed that the Australians had consumed approximately 22.2 tonnes of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and MDMA (commonly called “ecstasy”) between August 2023 and August 2024.

This represents an increase of 34%compared to the results of the previous year, with a marked increase in cocaine consumption (69%), MDMA (49%), methamphetamine (21%) and heroin (14%).

Medicines had an estimated street value combined with Australian $ 11.5 billion (about $ 7.5 billion), ACIC said. Methamphetamine alone represented 8.9 billion Australian dollars (approximately $ 5.8 billion) – or 78% – of this total.

Wastewater analysis, the wastewater test process for contaminants, is a widely used tool to measure the consumption of drugs within national populations. The data was collected in Australian capitals and regional sites, covering around 57% of the country.

The increase in drug use reflects the “recovery of these illicit drug markets following the impact of COVVI-19 restrictions”, according to the ACIC report.

He added that “serious and domestic and domestic crime groups quickly restored and expanded their operations” following the pandemic.

ACCI chief Heather Cook said that crime groups exploit a high demand for illicit drugs in Australia, where they “maximize profit to the detriment of the community’s security and well-being”.

“The 2.2-ton increase in national methamphetamine consumption is worrying because 12.8 tonnes is the highest annual level recorded by the program and that the drug causes significant community damage,” she said.

“Likewise, there has been a strong increase in national cocaine consumption, also at the highest annual level recorded by our wastewater program,” added Cook.

Wastewater has also been tested for alcohol and nicotine – which have remained the most consumed legitimate drugs – as well as cannabis and ketamine.

Cannabis has remained the most consumed illicit drug among Australians, with higher average consumption in regional areas than in capitals. The capital, however, recorded a higher consumption of cocaine, MDMA, heroin and ketamine.

The northern territory has known the highest of methamphetamine, the consumption of cocaine and MDMA, according to the report, while the Tasmania recorded the highest in the heroine.

The increases in the consumption of methamphetamine, cocaine and MDMA should continue until 2027, according to the modeling of ACIC data.