The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission today released the seventh report of the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program, revealing New South Wales reported the highest average capital city and regional consumption of cocaine in the country.
Across the eight sites monitored in the state in December 2018—three capital city and five regional sites—findings show New South Wales also had the highest average regional consumption and the second highest average capital city consumption of heroin, the highest average regional consumption of MDA and the second highest average regional consumption of methylamphetamine, fentanyl and alcohol nationally.
Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission Chief Executive Officer, Mr Michael Phelan APM said the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program gives valuable insight into the trends and emerging issues of drug consumption across Australia and can identify new sources of threat.
"The Australian community continues to consume illicit drugs at concerning levels and the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program is providing an important, unified and consistent guiding tool for developing holistic drug responses," Mr Phelan said.
"We are only now starting to realise the full benefits of the ongoing program."
The National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program found that, compared to August 2018, of the substances tested in December 2018 in New South Wales:
· average nicotine consumption increased in capital city sites and remained relatively stable in regional sites
· average alcohol consumption decreased in capital city sites and increased in regional sites
· average methylamphetamine consumption increased in both capital city and regional sites
· average cocaine consumption decreased in capital city sites and increased in regional sites
· average MDMA consumption increased in capital city sites and decreased in regional sites
· average MDA consumption increased in both capital city and regional sites
· average oxycodone consumption decreased in capital city sites and increased in regional sites
· average fentanyl consumption decreased in capital city sites and increased in regional sites
· average heroin consumption increased in both capital city and regional sites
· average cannabis consumption decreased in both capital city and regional sites
In 2019, the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program received an additional $4.8 million to fund a further four years of the program. The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission will continue to develop its potential over the coming years and deliver three reports per annum.
The report is available from the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission website: www.acic.gov.au
