Tasmania has the highest average capital city consumption of MDMA, oxycodone, fentanyl and cannabis in the country, a new report has revealed.
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The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission's seventh National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program report also showed Tasmania to have the second highest average capital city and regional consumption of nicotine, the second highest average capital city consumption of alcohol and the second highest average regional consumption of cannabis in Australia.
Oxycodone and fentanyl, both prescription pharmaceutical substances with abuse potential, had noticeably elevated consumption across Tasmania and regional Victoria, the report said.
The report found cocaine consumption was lowest in Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia.
The report's findings come from five locations, three capital city sites and two regional sites, monitored in Tasmania in December 2018.
The program found, compared to August 2018, of the substances tested in December in Tasmania:
- average nicotine consumption increased in both capital city and regional sites
- average alcohol consumption decreased in both capital city sites and regional sites
- average methylamphetamine consumption increased in both capital city and regional sites
- average cocaine consumption remained relatively stabled in capital city sites and decreased in regional sites
- average MDMA consumption increased in capital city sites and decreased in regional sites
- average MDA consumption decreased in both capital city and regional sites
- average oxycodone consumption increased in capital city sites and decreased in regional sites
- average fentanyl consumption increased in capital city sites and decreased in regional sites
- average heroin consumption decreased in both capital city and regional sites
- average cannabis consumption decreased in both capital city and regional sites
Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission chief executive Michael Phelan said the monitoring program gave 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."