The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission today released the seventh report of the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program, revealing South Australia has the highest average capital city consumption of methylamphetamine, the highest average regional consumption of cannabis and together with Queensland, and the highest average regional consumption of fentanyl in the country.
Nine sites were monitored in the state in December 2018—four capital city and five regional sites.
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 South Australia:
· average nicotine consumption increased in capital city sites and decreased in regional sites
· average alcohol consumption decreased in both capital city and regional sites
· average methylamphetamine consumption increased in capital city sites and decreased in regional sites
· average cocaine consumption decreased in both capital city and regional sites
· average MDMA consumption increased in capital city sites and decreased in regional sites
· average MDA consumption increased in capital city sites and decreased regional sites
· average oxycodone consumption increased in capital city sites and decreased in regional sites
· average fentanyl consumption decreased in capital city sites and increased in regional sites
· average heroin consumption increased in capital city sites and remained relatively stable in regional sites
· average cannabis consumption increased 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
