Use of illicit drugs have hit record highs in Australia, according to the latest wastewater monitoring report from the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.
The data covering the just-passed summer, from December 2023 to February 2024, shows cannabis continues to be the most popular illicit substance, while cocaine use is on the rise across the country, and methamphetamine use increases in Australia’s cities.
Wastewater monitoring recorded the highest cocaine use since the program began in 2016.
Regional Western Australia has the highest consumption nationally of methylamphetamine, with recent usage also reported as ‘relatively high’ in Perth and Melbourne.
Perth, along with Sydney and Melbourne, also recorded a higher heroin consumption rate when compared to other capital cities, with the report finding the usage in the west was “unusually high” compared to previous results.
Australia’s methamphetamine was the second highest per capita in a sample of 29 similar countries, only trailing the US. Similarly, MDMA use is on the rise, recording its highest levels since 2020.
The wastewater tracking program began in 2016. It assesses 56 sites around the country for the presence of 12 illicit substances. The samples represent just over 50 per cent of the population, covering both regional and urban areas.