SA meth use the highest in nation as cocaine, ecstasy, heroin use spikes, wastewater monitoring figures show

Adelaide’s ice use has dropped slightly – but we’re still consuming more than any other capital city. And heroin, cocaine and ecstasy use is also surging in SA.

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Adelaide has the highest average consumption rate of methamphetamine of any Australian capital city despite a slight decrease in its use, new drug monitoring figures reveal.

Consumption rates of cocaine, MDMA and heroin have continued to spike and country SA now has the highest rate of cannabis consumption in regional areas in the nation.

The new figures are contained in the latest report of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission’s national Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program, which monitors nine sites in SA – four sites in Adelaide and five in regional cities.

The report, the ninth produced in the three years the program has been running, reveals that South Australians are now consuming 943kg of methamphetamines a year – with 11,156kg consumed nationally.

The SA figure is down from 1158kg the previous year and 1005kg in the first year of monitoring.

While the average consumption for Adelaide is the highest of all capital cities even after the slight decrease, methamphetamine consumption in country regions of the state has increased compared with previous periods.

The ACIC report also reveals:

– Cocaine consumption has increased in both city and regional sites;

– MDMA (ecstasy) consumption increased in both city and regional sites;

– Heroin consumption increased in city sites, but remained stable in country areas;

– Cannabis consumption decreased in both city and country sites, but SA had the highest average consumption rate in region areas in the nation.

The ACIC estimates Australians spent an estimated $11.3 billion on methylamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA and heroin from August 2018 to August 2019 – $8.63 billion on methylamphetamine alone.

ACIC chief executive officer Michael Phelan said this is one of the more tragic, harmful and wasteful aspects of illicit drug markets.

“Australians are spending a significant amount of money on illicit substances each year, generating profits for the sole benefit of organised crime groups. This is money that might otherwise have been spent on legitimate goods for themselves and their families,” Mr Phelan said.

The August 2019 drug monitoring covers around 57 per cent of Australia’s population — about 13.3 million Australians.

SA Police said methamphetamine use among the South Australian population “is of particular concern”.

“The physical and mental health impacts of amphetamine-type substances are well-documented, while the associate effect on user behaviour also impacts on policing and the community,” a spokesman said.

“We also know there is a strong nexus between illicit drug use and criminal behaviour.”

The spokesman said while the drug trade remains an ongoing focus for SAPOL,

illicit drug use “is not just a policing issue, but a whole-of-society issue”.

“Community response to this issue must include an ongoing commitment to educating the public, particularly young people, on the dangers of methamphetamine use. It is also critical to provide support for those addicted and for the families of users,” the spokesman said.

Deputy state firector of Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia, Mark Bandick, said $10 million was allocated in 2018-19 to provide a range of targeted strategies and support services addressing methamphetamine use in the community.

“While it is important to provide information to the community, caution should be exercised as evidence shows that awareness campaigns about illicit substances such as methamphetamine, particularly targeting young people, can sometimes have unintended consequences,” he said.

He said the funding included the addition of 18 rehabilitation beds across Mount Gambier, the Riverland and Whyalla and the provision of family support groups in the Riverland, Port Augusta, Murray Bridge, the Barossa and various metropolitan Adelaide locations.

Originally published as SA meth use the highest in nation as cocaine, ecstasy, heroin use spikes, wastewater monitoring figures show