The latest wastewater analysis has found the ACT has the second-highest rate of oxycodone opioid consumption per capita in the country however, the reason for it remains a mystery.
Yet oxycodone consumption rates pale by comparison with that of the territory's most consumed drugs: nicotine, alcohol and cannabis.
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission's 20th wastewater drug report, based on data collected in April and June this year, revealed average capital city and regional increases across several drugs including alcohol, methamphetamine, methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), oxycodone and ketamine.
Heroin, ecstasy and fentanyl use declined.
Wastewater or sewage reporting was identified by ACT Chief Police Office Neil Gaughan as one of the key ways in which the ACT will be able to monitor consumption rates after new drug decriminalisation legislation came into effect almost two weeks ago.
However, ACIC reporting of the data always lags months behind real-time consumption and as Shane Neilson, the commission's principal advisor on drugs and data analytics advised, it could be well into next year before the collection data reveals the true picture of any consumption changes resulting from decriminalisation.
Deputy Commissioner Gaughan had flagged previously that there could be some public misconception between decriminalisation and legalisation, especially among visitors to the ACT, and that major upcoming events such as the Spilt Milk music festival at the end of November, and Summernats early next year, will be a major test of the territory's new drug possession laws.
"We will be monitoring the ACT's drug consumption trends, as we do indeed for all the other jurisdictions," Mr Neilson said.
"For example, in the past where there has been major activity by law enforcement we look at what impact that activity by serious and organised crime groups has had on jurisdictions but equally too, we monitor the impact of legislation on jurisdictions including the ACT.
"We've been looking at the cannabis market, for example, in the ACT since [decriminalisation] legislation in early 2020 and that shows us that cannabis consumption has increased by 26 per cent."
Oxycodone has a legitimate use by the medical profession but is also subject to what ACIC calls "abuse potential", as does fentanyl, another prescription drug under close watch by the commission.
"What we do know that oxycodone consumption in the ACT is significantly above the national average for capital cities," Mr Neilson said.
"But in terms of why that might be, we can't definitely say what the situation is; it's possible that prescribing rates are higher in the ACT for legitimate use; we've got no real evidence that serious and organised crime in the ACT market is higher than anywhere else in Australia."
A research study into the long-term trajectory of opioid use in Australia, released in August this year, also poured cold water on over-prescribing, describing it as a "false narrative".
The latest national wastewater report covered 55 sites (20 capital city and 35 regional), covering a population of 14 million Australians, equating to approximately 55 per cent of our country's population.
