Cocaine use in Brisbane and regional Queensland has spiked to the highest levels recorded in 7 years, according to research led by The University of Queensland and The University of South Australia.
Commissioned by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), the latest findings of the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program showed increased use of heroin and cocaine in Brisbane compared to previous years.
Dr Ben Tscharke from UQ’s Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences said samples from 62 wastewater sites nationwide were analysed in August 2023, representing 57 per cent of Australia’s population.
“Samples were analysed for key illicit drugs including methylamphetamine, cannabis, MDMA, cocaine and heroin, as well as some substances with abuse potential such as alcohol, nicotine, strong opioids, oxycodone and fentanyl,” Dr Tscharke said.
“There was a dramatic increase in cocaine use in Brisbane and regional Queensland in August 2023, the highest levels since wastewater was first monitored in 2016.
“Levels were more than three times higher than the data recorded in August 2022.
“This spike comes after a drop in substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic from late 2020 to mid-2022.
“While MDMA saw a similar drop during the pandemic, use of the substance has not returned to the same levels of cocaine, however the use of methylamphetamine has gradually increased.”
Dr Tscharke said heroin consumption was also at its highest levels in Brisbane since it was first monitored in 2017 but use in regional Queensland was low compared to the national average.
A new contract has been signed for UQ, The University of South Australia and the ACIC to continue data collection and analysis of the wastewater program for a further 4 years.
Professor Kevin Thomas from UQ’s Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences said wastewater monitoring was a vital tool to provide understanding of distribution, trends and fluctuations of drug use in Australia.
“We archive all of our samples collected through the program so they can be re-visited to explore community exposure or use of substances retrospectively,” Professor Thomas said.
“We look forward to continuing our partnership with The University of South Australia and the ACIC to enable new research avenues and advance the capability of wastewater analysis in Australia.
“Our program is one of the longest running and most comprehensive wastewater-drug monitoring programs in the world and has influenced other nations to start up their own programs.”
The full report can be read on the ACIC website.
Image above left: Dr Ben Tscharke testing water samples.
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