News
Australians spend estimated $11.3 billion a year on drugs: Report
The National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program found alcohol and nicotine are the most consumed drugs, with methylamphetamine the top illicit drug.
It is estimated that 11.5 tonnes of methylamphetamine was consumed annually in Australia.
More than 11 tonnes.
That is how much methylamphetamine Australians are estimated to have consumed annually, according to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission’s (ACIC) ninth report of the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program.
That was followed by 4.6 tonnes of cocaine, 2.2 tonnes of MDMA, and more than 900 kg of heroin.
The report found Australians spent an estimated $11.3 billion on methylamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA and heroin from August 2018 to August 2019.
‘Australians are spending a significant amount of money on illicit substances each year, generating profits for the sole benefit of organised crime groups,’ ACIC Chief Executive Michael Phelan said.
‘This is money that might otherwise have been spent on legitimate goods for themselves and their families.’
The August 2019 collection covers approximately 57% of Australia’s population – about 13.3 million people.
According to the report, the per capita consumption of cocaine and heroin in capital cities exceeded regional areas; however, the per capita regional consumption of nicotine, alcohol, methylamphetamine, MDMA, MDA, oxycodone, fentanyl and cannabis exceeded that in capital cities.
‘By measuring the level of consumption of illicit drugs and legal drugs with abuse potential, the [National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program] can identify new sources of threat and be used as a key indicator of harm posed by these substances,’ Mr Phelan said.
Estimated state and territory annual consumption of methylamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA and heroin
Methylamphetamine – 11,516 kg total:
- ACT – 119.4 kg
- NSW – 3337.4 kg
- NT – 84.8 kg
- Qld – 2247.7 kg
- SA – 943.2 kg
- Tas – 177.1 kg
- Vic – 3124.6 kg
- WA – 1482.7 kg
Cocaine – 4636 kg total:
- ACT – 83.4 kg
- NSW – 2548 kg
- NT – 22.8 kg
- Qld – 714.4 kg
- SA – 173.1 kg
- Tas – 16.6 kg
- Vic – 968 kg
- WA – 110 kg
MDMA – 2226 kg total:
- ACT – 36.5 kg
- NSW – 834.7 kg
- NT – 32.4 kg
- Qld – 502.4 kg
- SA – 70.8 kg
- Tas – 54.9 kg
- Vic – 511.9 kg
- WA – 182.4 kg
Heroin – 941 kg total:
- ACT – 10.3 kg
- NSW – 307 kg
- NT – 1 kg
- Qld – 66.4 kg
- SA – 30.5 kg
- Tas – 2.8 kg
- Vic – 469.7 kg
- WA – 53.8 kg
Log in below to join the conversation.
illicit drugs wastewater
newsGP weekly poll
If you still use the phone line for PBS authorities, how long do you spend waiting on average?