SYDNEY, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- A national program revealed on Wednesday provided insights into Australia's illicit drug consumption and distribution, offering more effective support for targeted policies.
The National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program, conducted by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), was commissioned by the University of Queensland (UQ) and the University of South Australia.
It monitored 57 wastewater sites across the country in April this year, representing around 56 percent of the Australian population.
The research found the national consumption of methylamphetamine ("ice") increased, while consumption of heroin remained relatively stable in capital city sites and increased in regional sites.
The state of Victoria ranked first in capital city consumption of methylamphetamine and heroin, while the state of New South Wales ranked first and second highest in capital city consumption of cocaine and MDA respectively, according to the ACIC.
Ben Tscharke from UQ's Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences said the wastewater data pinpoints areas with higher or lower drug consumption.
"We look for patterns emerging over time and how drug consumption changes when seizures by law enforcement occur, drug use policies change, or to assess impacts from significant events like the pandemic," said the expert.
Chief Executive Officer of the ACIC Michael Phelan said the results were brought by a mix of normal market forces, including demand, supply, and seasonal factors. Seizures and detections also lead to some decrease in drug use.
"Understanding drug consumption at the population level supports effective allocation of resources and informs appropriate demand, supply and harm reduction strategies, which are critical to address drug use in Australia," he added. ■
