Recent wastewater data shows Australians are drinking less alcohol and consuming fewer illegal stimulants like cocaine, while ketamine use has reached unprecedented levels. The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) released its national wastewater drug monitoring report, shedding light on substance use trends across urban and regional areas.
Collected from 59 sites nationwide and analyzed by The University of Queensland and University of South Australia, the data reflects drug use across half of Australia’s population. Findings reveal that alcohol and nicotine remain the most commonly used substances, with both used more in regional areas than in cities. Cannabis, the most consumed illicit drug, is used twice as much in regional locations compared to metropolitan areas.
Notably, ketamine, often linked to medical use, is increasingly being produced under illegal conditions, as observed by Dr. Rachel Sutherland from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre. Sutherland notes that ketamine’s recent popularity might stem from shifting manufacturing patterns, while the overall decline in cocaine use hints at evolving drug preferences. Still, despite a dip, cocaine consumption remains above pre-pandemic levels, particularly in Sydney and Queensland’s regional areas.
In line with a broader decline in alcohol consumption, especially in urban centers, nicotine usage shows a persistent, albeit fluctuating, upward trend since the monitoring program’s 2016 inception. Researchers speculate this rise may be fueled by an increase in vape and e-cigarette use, a shift that wastewater data supports, with usage nearly doubling over the past decade.
These insights were derived from 531 samples taken from wastewater treatment plants. Shane Neilson, principal drugs adviser at ACIC, attributes the record-low use of opioids like fentanyl and oxycodone to successful public health interventions, as their consumption in regional areas is now below city levels for the first time.
Sutherland adds that the global increase in cocaine supply and demand may be stabilizing locally, aligning with international trends in cocaine availability and use. This report offers a valuable snapshot of Australia’s shifting substance use landscape, underscoring a rise in ketamine use amid a drop in alcohol consumption.
