Victorians top nation’s heroin, MDMA and oxycodone consumption

Urban Victorians consume more heroin than other Australians, while the state’s regions have the highest use of MDMA and oxycodone.

The figures are in the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission’s seventh report on the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program, which shows Victoria has the highest average capital city consumption and second highest average regional consumption of heroin in the country.

Victorian also had the highest average regional consumption of MDMA and oxycodone and Australia’s second highest average capital city consumption of cocaine.

The ACIC report covers about 12.6 million people, or 54 per cent of the population. It examined wastewater at 50 treatment plants across the nation for 13 substances.

“The Australian community continues to consume illicit drugs at concerning levels,” ACIC chief Michael Phelan said.

While Victoria is ahead on heroin, MDMA and oxycodone consumption, the national figures show nicotine and alcohol are the most highly consumed drugs as measured by the program.

Of the illegal drugs, methylamphetamine remains the highest consumed by far.

Australians consumed 9847 kilograms of meth in the year to the end of August 2018, the fresh analysis of wastewater data found.

This was followed by 4115 kilograms of cocaine, 1162 kilograms of MDMA and 750 kilograms of cocaine.

Of the states, NSW led the country in cocaine consumption, Queensland and South Australia favoured fentanyl while the Northern Territory had the highest consumption of alcohol and nicotine.

Western Australia continued to produce some of the highest meth consumption levels in capital city and regional areas. Tasmania had the highest average capital city consumption of MDMA, oxycodone, fentanyl and cannabis nationally.