Drug-monitoring results show SA continues highest per capita usage of meth, along with rise in alcohol and other drugs

Meth use dropped as COVID-19 restrictions hit its supply over the past year – but this sobering data shows SA still tops the nation in per capita usage.

South Australia has maintained the dubious title of the methamphetamine state, despite a national decrease in use of the deadly drug.

The latest wastewater drug-monitoring results reveal although consumption dropped as COVID-19 restrictions affected the supply of meth, SA still topped the nation for per capita use in capital city and regional testing.

The results also show the consumption of alcohol, cocaine, ecstasy and heroin increased in Adelaide and in regional locations during the latest testing period, in August 2020.

The previous testing was conducted in April last year.

Under the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) wastewater testing program, nine sites are monitored – four in Adelaide and five regional sites.

The results revealed SA meth users consumed almost a tonne of the drug – 980.5kg – last year, compared with 1005.3kg four years ago.

Assistant Commissioner of SAPOL Scott Duval addresses media following a police raid that found 313kg of meth. Picture: AAP / Roy Vandervegt

While meth use in SA has dropped marginally over the four years of the testing program, cocaine use has jumped by 128 per cent (107.1kg in year one to 243.8kg in year four) and ecstasy use has risen 126 per cent (56.5kg in year one to 127.8kg in year four).

Nationally, an estimated 11.1 tonnes of meth was consumed during the fourth year of the program, along with 5.6 tonnes of cocaine, 2.6 tonnes of ecstasy and one tonne of heroin.

The report states drug users spent an estimated $8.9bn on meth, cocaine, ecstasy and heroin – with $6.96bn of that on meth alone.

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

“Illicit drugs are debilitating, they are destroying lives and the fabric of many communities in Australia,” he said.

“Organised crime groups make money through whatever illegal means they can and profit from the importation, manufacture, trafficking and sale of drugs that cause harm to the community.

“Those involved in the illicit drug trade don’t care about the devastation caused through health and social costs, or drug-related crime.”

South Australian police working at the scene of a meth lab bust in Adelaide. Picture: AAP / Kelly Barnes

The latest wastewater testing covers about 56 per cent of Australia’s population. Of the drugs measured by the program, alcohol and nicotine remained the most consumed, with meth the most consumed illicit drug.

The report found the per capita consumption of cocaine and heroin in capital cities exceeded regional consumption.

However, the per capita regional consumption of all other drugs exceeded that in capital cities.

Originally published as Drug-monitoring results show SA continues highest per capita usage of meth, along with rise in alcohol and other drugs