NEWS: NDARC National Drug Trends Conference 11/2006

Ecstacy's the trip of choice
By Clare Masters
November 03, 2006 12:00

ECSTASY is still the drug of choice for many Australians with new research showing it is becoming a weekly fix for many young people. / The Daily Telegraph

ECSTASY is still the drug of choice for many Australians with new research showing it is becoming a weekly fix for many young people.

A snapshot of the drug patterns of regular ecstasy users showed a 25-year-old user who also experiments with other drugs including ice.

The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre found 30 per cent of drug users surveyed used ecstasy weekly or more often and 93 per cent dabbled with other drugs simultaneously.

Young drug users are becoming tolerant to their vices with the study showing 45 per cent of users binged for more than 48 hours at a time.

"Compared to the late 90s people are using more ecstasy than they used to," Dr Degenhardt said.

"It used to be one (tablet) and on average it is now two – much higher for some people."

The study found decreasing levels of purity combined with a higher tolerance accounted for the rise in drug intake.

The findings will be presented on Sunday at the National Drug Trends Conference and are culled from annual NDARC surveys with regular drug-users.

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Junkies heaviest users of 'ice' drug
Ruth Pollard Health Reporter
November 3, 2006

INJECTING drug users who have turned to the methamphetamine known as ice were more likely to be heavy, problematic users than those who took ecstasy as well as ice, new research has found.

The findings dispel the myth that all ice users get into trouble, although the study noted that the drug continued to place a significant burden on front-line police and health-care workers.

The use of ice, also known as crystal meth, first peaked in 2001 at the height of the so-called heroin drought, the Illicit Drug Reporting System found. The reporting system monitors the price, purity and availability of several illegal drugs.

Five years ago, 29 per cent of injecting drug users in NSW reported using crystal meth in the past six months. That rose to 57 per cent this year.

Regular ecstasy users who took ice in the preceding six months rose from 48 per cent in 2003 to 56 per cent in 2006. However, levels of use were half that of injecting drug users, the report found.

Many injecting drug users said heroin was still their preferred drug, said Associate Professor Louisa Degenhardt of the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre.

"This suggests that the increased use of methamphetamine … has more to do with the continued lack of high-quality heroin, rather than their preference for methamphetamine," she said.

It was also inaccurate to characterise crystal meth as a party drug, Dr Degenhardt said. The data showed that more than half of ice users took the drug at home and not in nightclubs or at dance parties.

And while those who regularly take ecstasy reported they had added ice to their repertoire of drugs, they continued to use ecstasy more frequently than ice.

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Alarm over increase in 'ice' use
SAM RICHES, CHRIS SALTER
November 03, 2006 01:15am

USE of the dangerous street drug "ice" has increased by an alarming 20 per cent over the past 12 months among known drug users in South Australia, research has found.

An increase in popularity in the high-purity drug, which is worrying police and health workers, has seen 61 per cent of amphetamine users take ice in the past six months.

Police blame the addictive drug for an increase in violent crime, with users often committing offences to sustain their habits.

While the trend has been seen across almost all states and territories, SA has recorded the largest usage increase.

The figures are contained in the annual surveys of illicit drug availability, price, quality and demand, by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre.

Almost 800 ecstasy users were interviewed for the study.

Lead researcher Louise Degenhardt said the results put ice ahead of less pure forms of methamphetamine, base and speed, as the most popular heroin alternative.

"Heroin is their drug of choice generally, but it's difficult to come by and when they do get it the quality is poor, especially compared to other drugs like methamphetamines," Dr Degenhardt said.

"Crystal might appeal because it's the purest and no more expensive than the others."

Meanwhile, 65 per cent of regular methamphetamine users in SA said speed was "very easy" to obtain.

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Speed shoots to top of list
Liam Houlihan
November 08, 2006 12:00am

VICTORIA has the highest number of heavy drug users abusing amphetamines in the nation. And it has the second highest availability of the drug of any state or territory.

The new findings, by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, also reveal there are separate types of users.

One group comprises hardcore users who regularly inject amphetamines, while another involves ecstasy users who use speed less frequently.

The research found 71 per cent of Victorian injecting drug users had used speed powder in the past six months -- the highest level anywhere.

Other states had higher rates for other forms of amphetamines.

Victoria also had the second highest availability of the drug: 59 per cent of users said speed was "very easy" to obtain.

Only South Australia, where 65 per cent of users found scoring speed "very easy", was higher.

Associate Professor with NDARC, Louisa Degenhardt, said not all amphetamine users were heavy abusers of its crystal form.

"We need to remember there are distinct groups of users," she said.

"Some will experience real and significant problems related to their methamphetamine use, but it is unwise to regard this group as the majority of users."

The findings are based on interviews with regular drug users and professionals in the field.

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ayjay said:

Hey - maybe we should make all drugs easier to get - that way we'd use them less!!

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