Opioid use on the rise in Australia, with fentanyl consumption doubling outside big cities
Compared with 23 other countries that hold similar data, Australia was second behind the United States for MDMA, cocaine, amphetamine and methylamphetamine use
Australians are using the highly addictive opioid fentanyl at concerning levels, with consumption doubling in regional areas, a new report has found.
The fifth national waste water drug monitoring programme report, published on Tuesday, sounded the alarm about a surge in the consumption of fentanyl, the prescription drug experts say is 50 to 100 times more concentrated than morphine.
“While fentanyl consumption measured by the programme reflects both licit and illicit use, increased consumption is of concern as the high potency of fentanyl greatly increases the risk of overdose,” the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission said.
The population-weighted average consumption of fentanyl in April 2018 was the highest since the waste water monitoring programme began in 2016, the report said.
Researchers evaluated waste water from 47 treatment plants across the country, testing for 12 substances including nicotine and alcohol. It said the sampling undertaken in April 2018 covered about 54 per cent of the Australian population.
Increased consumption is of concern as the high potency of fentanyl greatly increases the risk of overdose
Compared with 23 other countries that hold similar data, Australia was second behind the United States for MDMA, cocaine, amphetamine and methylamphetamine use.