20 years after Australia’s first methamphetamine epidemic, another one has emerged

Australian communities are teetering on the brink of a second methylamphetamine crisis, which if not addressed urgently will lead to widespread health and safety concerns.

To address this emerging epidemic, the Albanian government must formally acknowledge the findings of the latest Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) report on wastewater monitoring, published in July 2024, and demonstrate a commitment to decisive action.

Methylamphetamine, a powerful synthetic stimulant, has a profound effect on the central nervous system of the human body. It induces increased alertness, intense euphoria and increased physical activity. It carries serious health risks including cardiovascular problems, neurotoxicity and addiction. The widespread use of methylamphetamine has a significant impact on Australian communities through increased crime rates, social disruption and increased burden on health care systems.

Australia’s first methylamphetamine epidemic began in the early 2000s, with a marked increase in both the availability and use of crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as ‘ice’. The crisis peaked around 2014 to 2015, when the purity and consumption of the drug skyrocketed, leading to widespread concerns about public health and safety.

During the first epidemic, police drug seizure data, arrest records, health reports and surveys of drug users informed our understanding of the size and scale of the problem. Today, Australia has a much more effective early warning system for illicit drug epidemics: the ACIC National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program. And this canary in the coal mine is warning us.

The Wastewater Monitoring Program is a comprehensive surveillance initiative that systematically analyzes samples to detect and quantify a range of contaminants, including pharmaceuticals and illicit substances. These samples are examined to determine the concentration of drug metabolites, from which population-level estimates of consumption are derived based on wastewater volume, population size, and substance metabolism. The program monitors trends in the use of 12 licit and illicit substances. Wastewater analysis provides essential insights for law enforcement, health agencies, and policymakers, enabling them to tailor drug demand reduction and harm reduction strategies. Continuous wastewater analysis provides the quantitative data needed to ensure policy responses can be adapted to changing drug market trends and effectively address the impact of drug misuse on communities.

The report shows a significant increase in methylamphetamine use over the past two years, with peak levels observed in regional areas across all states and territories. Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland are reporting notably high levels. In addition, the December 2023 results showed the highest average use in capital cities since the program began in 2016. Australia now has one of the highest rates of illicit stimulant use in the world. Per capita use of methylamphetamine is the second highest out of 30 countries, highlighting the drug’s prominence in the Australian drug market.

This latest report highlights the urgent need for more effective strategies to address the growing problem of methylamphetamine use in Australia.

On the supply side, the volume of methylamphetamine entering the country is staggering, with the Australian Federal Police and international partners seizing up to 49 tonnes of the illicit drug in the 2022-23 financial year. Yet, despite these seizures, consumption continues to grow. From August 2023 to April 2024, Australians consumed 17 per cent more methamphetamine than the previous year and more than double the amount of cocaine.

The potential far-reaching social and economic consequences of a second methylamphetamine epidemic, including higher crime rates, health problems and pressures on marginalised communities, highlight the need for significant policy change and greater international cooperation.

Australia’s response to illicit drugs is guided by the National Drug Strategy 2017-2026. This is based on three main pillars. The first is demand reduction, which focuses on reducing the need for drug use through prevention and education. The second is supply reduction, which focuses on reducing the availability of drugs by disrupting trade and production. The third is harm minimisation, which focuses on reducing the negative health and social impacts of drug use on individuals and communities.

The Commonwealth Law Enforcement International Engagement Methylamphetamine Disruption Strategy complements this by focusing on four key areas:

—Understanding the global drug landscape;

—Improving cooperation in law enforcement and border security;

—Developing targeted capacity building initiatives; and

—Encouraging advocacy and political involvement.

Despite all this good work, based on best practices, there is now clear data to suggest that we are on the brink of a second methylamphetamine epidemic and that our current approach has not proven effective in preventing it.

While health and law enforcement agencies are committed to implementing the National Drug Strategy, they often lack the capacity and ability to respond effectively to emerging trends. It is time for these agencies to come together and think outside the box. We need a new, potentially more innovative strategy to address the growing challenge of methylamphetamine.

Before policy measures are taken, it is crucial that the government acknowledges the existence of a problem, as this provides the fundamental understanding needed to develop a targeted and effective response. The Albanian government must formally acknowledge the implications of the latest Wastewater Monitoring Report and commit to taking action.