AUSTRALIANS use more amphetamines than any other nationality, a new report suggests.
The latest UN data on drug use shows amphetamine use among Australians and their Pacific neighbours is higher than in any other region.
The World Drug Report 2009, released in Washington today, shows amphetamines trigger more treatments per capita in Australia and New Zealand than anywhere else in the world.
It shows 20 percent of drug treatment cases in the region are committed to amphetamine-type substances.
In North America and Asia, 17 percent of drug users were treated for amphetamines while in Europe and Africa, the drug was linked to just 10 percent of treatments.
Cannabis was identified as the Australian region's "main problem drug" with 47 percent of treatment cases, second only to Africa with 62 percent.
In the Australian region, heroin fuelled 26 percent of treatments and cocaine 0.4 percent.
Cocaine was the main problem drug in North America and South America, while in Asia it was heroin and other opiates.
The report warned that Malaysia was emerging as a new pick-up point for heroin bound for Australia.
It said Pakistan had reported a new heroin route from Afghanistan to Malaysia, both direct and via Dubai.
"Until recently, heroin in Malaysia originated exclusively in Myanmar," the report said.
"This new route shows that Afghan opiates may now reach other destinations since Malaysia has been mentioned among the key embarkation points for heroin shipments into Australia."
Amphetamines are typically distributed to Australian from China via Hong Kong or from the Philippines.
Canada was a major source of methamphetamines seized at Australia's borders, it said.
Australia's ecstasy seizures were the second highest in the world behind the Netherlands, based on 2007 figures from those countries.
One quarter of the world's interceptions were made in Australia.
