CANBERRA, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Drug use in rural Australia far exceeds that in capital cities, according to the latest testing figures.
Wastewater samples from across the nation showed that regional Australians used more cannabis, prescription opioids, alcohol and methamphetamine than those who lived in the capital cities.
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) released the statistics on Monday night and the data indicated that while Sydney remained the capital for cocaine use, and heroin was still most frequently found in Melbourne, it was in regional Australia where drug use was most prevalent.
The commission's chief executive Michael Phelan said the latest figures showed demand for drugs "has not gotten any better."
Now in its third year, the commission's wastewater analysis showed the quantity of each individual drug being consumed around the country, highlighting the size of the market.
In concerning news for law enforcement officials, some drugs have been intercepted at a greater rate than others. While almost twice as much MDMA (or "ice") was seized as was used, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine seizures remained at half or less-than half of consumption.
The figures show that population-weighted average consumption of methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA and heroin in the capital city and regional areas all increased in the period measured. The data did, however, show a decline in the use of prescription opioids such as oxycodone and fentanyl.
The ACIC sewage analysis has its limitations, however. It cannot differentiate between neighborhoods or suburbs, and the waste being sampled is a mix of that flowing from prisons, hospitals, offices, homes, hotels and shopping centers.
It also cannot distinguish between prescribed or illicit opioid use, or if nicotine intake is from tobacco, e-cigarettes, patches or gum.
The commission aims to establish baseline data of substance use across Australia, stating the latest data collection represents 55 percent of Australia's population, or 12.9 million people. Its results are used to inform government policy and decision making, as well as law enforcement activities.
