How many people in Australia use crystal methamphetamine?

The “Cracks in the Ice” website have recently produced a fact sheet titled “How many people use ice?”. The fact sheet uses brand new data collated from a variety of sources including the recently published 2019 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, the 2019 Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS), the 2020 National Wastewater Monitoring Program, plus hospital and other treatment centre data. 

The fact sheet reports that the 2019 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, found 1.3% of Australian people aged over 14 had used methamphetamine in the last 12 months, with a continued slight downward trend over the last 8 years. However, there has been an increase in the number of people using the higher potency crystal form of methamphetamine rather than lower purity powder form, commonly called "speed". Other data including hospital records suggest that rates of regular use has increased, and along with this is an increase in the rates of harm.  There have been increases in methamphetamine related calls to telephone helplines, drug and alcohol treatment episodes, hospital admissions, psychosis and other mental health problems, as well as recorded deaths. .  

Go to “Cracks in the Ice - how many people use ice?”