The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission released its fifth report of the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program last week.
The report revealed while methylamphetamine consumption decreased in the state in April 2018, WA reported the highest average of regional consumption of methylamphetamine nationally.
South West district superintendent Mick Sutherland said local police were working closely with specialist areas to target the supply of meth in South West communities.
“Unfortunately meth is an issue in many communities across Western Australia, and our small communities across regional WA are not immune to the harm caused by this drug,” he said.
“Community members can assist by providing police with information regarding the illicit drug trade.”
The report found that methylamphetamine consumption had decreased by 11 per cent in regional WA.
Collie-Preston MLA Mick Murray said he felt community awareness about methylamphetamine had influenced the reduction.
“I believe there is more vigilance throughout the community with people being more aware of the problem,” he said.
“The police are working incredibly hard to combat both the dealing and importation of methamphetamine… [and] are doing a fantastic job in getting more and more methamphetamine off our streets.
Mr Murray said the state government had committed to reducing methamphetamine use with the Methamphetamine Action Plan ‘to break the cycle for drug users’.
Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission chief executive officer Michael Phelan said it was estimated that 1,528.3 kilograms of methylamphetamine was consumed in WA each year, as well as 43.8 kilograms of cocaine, 101.3 kilograms of MDMA and 42.5 kilograms of heroin.
“On a national level, alcohol and nicotine remain the highest-consumed substances and methylamphetamine continues to be the most consumed illicit drug tested,” he said.
The fourth report provided conservative estimates of the weight of methylamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA and heroin consumed nationally in a year using wastewater data collected between August 2016 and August 2017.
For the firth report, 47 wastewater sites were monitored nationally in April 2018, covering 54.8 per cent of Australia’s population—around 12.8 million people.
There were six sites monitored in Western Australia in April 2018, three of which were regional.
For more information or to view the full report visit acic.gov.au.
