In the most recent report from the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring program, (Report 18) amongst those drugs that can be measured in wastewater, methamphetamine remains Australia’s most commonly consumed illicit drug - by a long shot. (a)
In the year August 2021 - August 2022, Australians consumed 9 tonnes of methamphetamine with a street value of $8.34 billion. For comparison, the consumption of cocaine during the same period was 3.3 tonnes, with a street value of $1.10 billion.
A couple of points to note:
Since the beginning of this Wastewater monitoring program in 2016, methamphetamine has consistently been the most consumed illicit drug among the drugs that can be measured in wastewater.
At a time when household budgets are increasingly under pressure, expenditure on methamphetamine has increased. In contrast, expenditure on cocaine and MDMA over the same period, recorded a decrease. What makes this particularly interesting is that nationally, the median price of methamphetamine is higher than that of cocaine.
There appears little variation in consumption between capital cities and regional areas across the country.
Variation in consumption of methamphetamine between days of the week is generally smaller than for the other stimulants, consistent with the habitual nature of methamphetamine use.
With usage high, seemingly resistant to financial pressures, equally in big cities as it is in smaller centres and not limited to weekends, methamphetamine poses a significant risk to safety. Can your workplace afford to ignore this risk?
Educating your workers about the health and safety dangers of methamphetamine usage as well as supporting your supervisors in how to manage this issue within their teams, is a good place to start. And, if your workplace does not currently have a drug and alcohol program in place, it might be time to consider implementing one.
DASA has been helping workplaces manage drug and alcohol risks for nearly 15 years and we can help you manage the risk of methamphetamine use at your workplace.
To find our more, speak to John De Mellow on 1300 230 231 – or visit our website www.dasa.net.au
(a) THC cannot be accurately measured in wastewater against the other drugs but can be compared to itself on a year-by-year basis.
DASA (Drug and Alcohol Solutions Australia) is proud to be leading the way in workplace drug and alcohol testing services throughout Australia. Whether your need is for workplace drug and workplace alcohol testing, advice on drug and alcohol policy or ideas on how to communicate your workplace expectations, policies and procedures to your staff, DASA can help. We have the experience, technical expertise and people to lead you to the right solution.
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