The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission’s (ACIC) 11th annual report into the levels of illicit drugs in wastewater around Australia has found record highs and lows during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In its report National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program Report 11, ACIC covered wastewater sampling from April and June this year and provided insights into the effect of the pandemic on drug consumption in Australia.
“Fifty-five wastewater treatment plants across Australia participated in the April 2020 collection, which monitored the consumption of 13 substances,” ACIC said.
“Nicotine and alcohol remain the highest consumed drugs measured by the Program for which dose data is available, with methylamphetamine remaining the highest consumed illicit drug,” it said.
Chief Executive Officer of ACIC, Michael Phelan said pandemic restrictions impacted the illicit drug markets and shaped report results in ways that offered unprecedented insights into Australian drug markets.
“The results show that all drugs monitored by the Program continue to be available within Australia,” Mr Phelan said.
“During the period monitored by the report, instances of record high drug consumption have been reported, including regional methylamphetamine and heroin consumption and capital city cocaine, cannabis and nicotine consumption,” he said.
“There was record low regional consumption of fentanyl and capital city consumption of oxycodone and alcohol during the period monitored.”
Mr Phelan said illicit drug price variations during the pandemic had not been a reliable indicator of consumption levels.
“Even in locations where considerable price increases have been reported, consumption of some drugs has increased,” he said.
Mr Phelan said that throughout the pandemic, a new focus of the ACIC’s wastewater work had been the successful detection of the virus in wastewater for advice to health and policy stakeholders.
ACIC’s 79-page report can be accessed at this PS News link.
