Cocaine consumption in the ACT increased dramatically, well above the average across the other capital cities, in the latest report on drugs in wastewater collected in December last year and February this year.
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission described how some of the latest data revealed "disturbing trends".
"In December 2023 there was record-high cocaine consumption in both capital cities and regional areas, record methylamphetamine consumption in capital cities and record nicotine consumption in regional areas," ACIC's chief executive officer Heather Cook reported.
Law officers and illicit drug researchers around the country have been watching drug consumption in the ACT closely as a result of the territory leading on decriminalised drug laws across the country.
This latest wastewater report was the first which accurately captured per capita territory consumption since decriminalisation came into effect on October 28 last year.
The news was mixed for the territory.
However, the spike in cocaine use in the ACT was mirrored across the country, with the national average consumption for capital cities and regional areas reaching its highest level since reporting began in August 2016.
Cocaine cannot be detected under current ACT roadside drug tests but it will be introduced from January 1 next year after a successful trial in Queensland.
The ACT roadside cocaine test will be added to the cannabis, methamphetamine and MDMA (ecstasy) oral fluid test already conducted by police using the robust German-developed Securetec drug wipe.
Wastewater-based monitoring of drug consumption is based on the principle that any substance that is consumed (irrespective of whether it is swallowed, inhaled/smoked, or injected) is excreted in urine or faeces, either in the chemical form it was consumed, or in a modified form known as a metabolite.
Unlike all other jurisdictions which have regional and city collection points, Canberra has one major collection zone at the Molonglo waste treatment plant so this provides a reasonably clear picture of consumption.
Nicotine and alcohol are the two most consumed drugs in Australia, with the ACT's latest result jumping above the capital city average on nicotine for the first time since 2022 and falling slightly below the mean average for alcohol.
However, the territory's oxycodone consumption was above the average across all the 56 sites nationally. Cannabis use was slightly higher than the national average, the ACT's maximum hitting 1500mg per 1000 people per day.
Methamphetamine use in the ACT has been steadily climbing over the past six reports issued by ACIC but the latest volume of around 830mg per 1000 people per day remains relatively low compared with those of metropolitan NSW, South Australia and WA.
