New figures from Australia’s national wastewater monitoring programme paint a stark picture of the country’s drug landscape. Methamphetamine use in Australia has nearly doubled over the past decade, with the latest annual data confirming consumption levels at their highest point since records began in 2016.
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) released the findings on Wednesday evening, drawing on wastewater samples collected from 64 sewage treatment plants across the country between August 2024 and 2025. The results reveal not only record highs for crystal meth, commonly known as ice, but also for cocaine and ketamine, raising serious questions about the scale of harm unfolding quietly in homes and communities across the nation.
Ice Consumption Almost Doubles
The numbers are significant. Estimated ice drug consumption in Australia rose from 8,405kg to 15,971kg over the monitoring period, a 23% increase on the previous year alone. That figure places Australia as the second-highest consumer of methamphetamine in the world, behind only the United States, according to the Sewage Core Group Europe (Score), which tracks international wastewater data across 34 nations.
In per capita terms, Australia ranked fifth globally for combined consumption of methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA and heroin, sitting behind the US, Chile, Belgium and the Netherlands.
ACIC chief executive Heather Cook described the findings as a “stark reminder” that Australia remains a “lucrative target for transnational crime.”
“These aren’t abstract figures,” Cook said. “They represent real harm and real consequences playing out in hospitals, homes and communities across the country.”
Cocaine, Ketamine and Heroin Also Rising
Methamphetamine use in Australia is not the only cause for concern. Cocaine consumption also reached a record national high, with an estimated 7,985kg consumed in 2024 to 2025. Ketamine use hit new peaks as well, with Sydney recording the highest ketamine consumption of any monitored area in the country.
Heroin use, while far less widespread, reached record levels in capital cities, with the Northern Territory seeing the largest annual spike, a 50% increase year on year.
Overall, the total estimated consumption of the four major illicit drugs combined rose by a record 26.8 tonnes, representing a 21% increase on the previous year. The combined market value of these drugs climbed from $11.5 billion in 2023 to 2024 to a record $14.3 billion, with ice drug consumption in Australia accounting for 77% of total expenditure.
What Wastewater Data Can and Cannot Tell Us
Before drawing sweeping conclusions, it is worth understanding what wastewater monitoring actually measures. The method analyses sewage for traces of drugs that people have consumed and excreted, offering a near real-time snapshot of drug use that avoids the under-reporting typical of self-reported surveys.
However, it measures the volume of drugs consumed, not the number of individuals using them. A rise in methamphetamine use in Australia as detected through wastewater could mean more people are using the drug, or that the same individuals are using larger quantities more frequently. It cannot distinguish between the two.
Nor can wastewater data easily separate illicit drug use from legal prescriptions. There has been a notable increase in prescribed amphetamines for ADHD treatment in recent years. Experts note, however, that the scale of the increase recorded is unlikely to be explained by prescription use alone.
It is also worth noting that long-running population surveys have shown a decline in the proportion of Australians who use methamphetamine over the past 15 years. The picture is more nuanced than raw volume figures suggest: a smaller group of people appear to be using the drug more intensively, with harms concentrated among those most severely affected.
Regional Areas Carry a Heavier Burden
The data highlights persistent regional disparities. Ice drug consumption in Australia remains consistently higher per capita in regional communities compared to capital cities. Tasmania recorded the largest annual increase in methamphetamine use at 38%, followed by the Northern Territory at 36% and the Australian Capital Territory at 30%.
Experts caution that regional wastewater data can appear disproportionately high because a smaller population may be using drugs more heavily, and because visitors to regional areas, including festival-goers, can skew results temporarily. Regional communities also tend to have fewer treatment services, greater economic pressures and tighter social networks that can amplify both availability and harm.
Cocaine, heroin and ketamine use, by contrast, remained predominantly an urban concern.
A Resilient and Adaptable Drug Market
Perhaps the most sobering takeaway from the ACIC data is not the volume of any single drug, but what it reveals about the resilience of illegal drug markets overall.
Despite sustained law enforcement efforts and significant investment in supply disruption, markets have continued to grow. Australia’s high prices and strong demand make it an attractive destination for international criminal networks. When one supply route is cut off, another tends to emerge.
Cook noted that serious organised crime groups are “not only persistent but highly innovative,” and that the scale of the market demands “constant vigilance, evolving tools and strong collaboration across all jurisdictions.”
The report also flagged early signals of emerging substances entering the Australian market, including synthetic opioids, underscoring the need for monitoring systems and community responses that can keep pace with a rapidly shifting drug landscape.
The Case for Harm Reduction
Understanding trends in methamphetamine use in Australia matters not simply as a measure of criminal activity but because of the very real consequences for individuals and communities. More people are presenting to hospital emergency departments, more ambulance call-outs are being recorded, and treatment services are under increasing pressure.
The pattern emerging from the data suggests that a smaller group of Australians are experiencing increasingly severe problems with drug use. Reaching these individuals earlier, with more targeted support and treatment, is essential.
Supply-side enforcement alone has not reversed these trends. Addressing the scale of harm requires investment in evidence-based prevention, accessible treatment options and the kind of community support that can make a genuine difference in people’s lives.
(Source: WRD News)