NEWS: 25.6.09 - Aussies the biggest amphetamine users, report suggests

[hyroller]

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 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.

retrieved here
what do ya'll think? i think 'biggest' might be a bit of a stretch. i find it interesting that they are going by 'drug treatment case' percentages, when the number of people who are not treated is significantly larger...

 

[CrackSnapplePot]

"shows amphetamines trigger more treatments per capita"

per capita... so yeah, probably not outright greatest number, but by percentage of population. Probably due to amphetamines being among the easiest drugs to access here, whereas in other countries they have coke etc..

 

[Jakeperson]

We go hard at every thing we do.

 

[headdah]

snort hard, or go home!.

 

[the_ketaman]

^^I disagree...Smoke hard or go home!

No, really dont, actually stay away for 2 reaons, its bad for your health and Australia needs to save more for me!

 

[hoptis]

Australia top in Asia drug market
Anne Davies, Washington Correspondent
June 26, 2009

AUSTRALIA has become one of the biggest markets in the Asian region for amphetamines and ecstasy, and large quantities of illegal drug ingredients are coming in by air cargo, a United Nations report has found.

The 2009 UN World Drug Report says pseudoephedrine and ephedrine -- both used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, or ice -- are being allowed to flow in through Australia's porous borders.

And while Australia has had some success in cutting heroin use by disrupting supply chains, the report says there are signs that the manufacture of synthetic drugs has gained traction both here and in South-East Asia.

"Significant methamphetamine precursors continue to be intercepted by customs and law enforcement," the report said. "In Australia, large quantities of pseudoephedrine continue to be imported via air cargo."

The annual report attempts to quantify the world drug trade and identify trends and routes through which drugs reach end-users.

The latest UN report finds that global markets for cocaine, opiates and cannabis are steady or in decline, while production and use of synthetic drugs appear to be increasing, particularly in the developing world.

Its findings come a day after The Age revealed an Australian Crime Commission investigation that uncovered serious weaknesses in the security of both ports and airports, allowing the drug trade and other criminal activity to flourish.

The UN report noted that in July last year Australian authorities intercepted a single shipment of 850 kilograms of pseudoephedrine trafficked from Thailand.

It also noted a rise in methamphetamine imports from Canada, where large laboratories are now controlled by Asian crime syndicates and motorcycle gangs.

Methamphetamine from Canada accounted for 83 per cent of seized imports into Australia by weight, the report said.

New Zealand estimates that as many as 10 million pharmaceutical precursor tablets containing pseudoephedrine are trafficked from China to New Zealand annually, which is enough to produce 630 kilograms of methamphetamine.

Australia is also a major manufacturer of ecstasy, with more laboratories identified than in any other nation, the report said.

However, some of the European laboratories are very large, so production levels may be higher in other jurisdictions.

"The most significant development in ecstasy-group manufacture has been the shift of operations from West and Central Europe to locations closer to consumers around the world," the report said.

"In Australia, there is continued evidence of notable domestic manufacture."

Worldwide, ecstasy seizures increased by 62 per cent in 2007 to a total of 7.9 tonnes.

Six countries accounted for more than 80 per cent of seizures, with the largest amounts reported by the Netherlands (25 per cent of the total), followed by Australia, the US, Canada, Britain and China.

The biggest seizure of ecstasy in Australia was in June 2007, when authorities intercepted 15 million tablets weighing 4.42 tonnes from Italy.

After The Age's revelations about criminal activities at ports and airports, the Federal Opposition yesterday accused the Government of not doing enough, or spending enough, to curb the problems.

"Airports and ports are the front line in our national and border security, but in their last budget, Labor slashed front-line security at ports and airports by $17.1 million and cut great swathes of staff from our border security agencies," said Opposition justice and customs spokeswoman Sussan Ley.

The Age

 

[nabollocks]

The results in this study show that Australia's health system is more accessible than any other country to drug users. A good thing really.

It also shows that our customs are doing a better job than most other countries.

Other than that, it is a bit of a joke to correlate drug user cases in Australia with use in other countries. There are simply too many variables to make a clear correlation here.

It is just another report that supports the legalisation, standardisation and control of drugs. Just say no is not working!

 

[kingpin007]

NEWS : 26.6.09 - Australia top in Asia drug market

[EDIT: Threads merged. hoptis]

Australia top in Asia drug market

Anne Davies
June 26, 2009

AUSTRALIA has become one of the biggest markets in the Asian region for amphetamines and ecstasy, and large quantities of illegal drug ingredients are coming in by air cargo, a United Nations report has found.

The 2009 UN World Drug Report says pseudoephedrine and ephedrine -- both used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, or ice -- are being allowed to flow in through Australia's porous borders.

And while Australia has had some success in cutting heroin use by disrupting supply chains, the report says there are signs that the manufacture of synthetic drugs has gained traction both here and in South-East Asia.

"Significant methamphetamine precursors continue to be intercepted by customs and law enforcement," the report said. "In Australia, large quantities of pseudoephedrine continue to be imported via air cargo."

The annual report attempts to quantify the world drug trade and identify trends and routes through which drugs reach end-users.

The latest UN report finds that global markets for cocaine, opiates and cannabis are steady or in decline, while production and use of synthetic drugs appear to be increasing, particularly in the developing world.

Its findings come a day after The Age revealed an Australian Crime Commission investigation that uncovered serious weaknesses in the security of both ports and airports, allowing the drug trade and other criminal activity to flourish.

The UN report noted that in July last year Australian authorities intercepted a single shipment of 850 kilograms of pseudoephedrine trafficked from Thailand.

It also noted a rise in methamphetamine imports from Canada, where large laboratories are now controlled by Asian crime syndicates and motorcycle gangs.

Methamphetamine from Canada accounted for 83 per cent of seized imports into Australia by weight, the report said.

New Zealand estimates that as many as 10 million pharmaceutical precursor tablets containing pseudoephedrine are trafficked from China to New Zealand annually, which is enough to produce 630 kilograms of methamphetamine.

Australia is also a major manufacturer of ecstasy, with more laboratories identified than in any other nation, the report said.

However, some of the European laboratories are very large, so production levels may be higher in other jurisdictions.

"The most significant development in ecstasy-group manufacture has been the shift of operations from West and Central Europe to locations closer to consumers around the world," the report said.

"In Australia, there is continued evidence of notable domestic manufacture."

Worldwide, ecstasy seizures increased by 62 per cent in 2007 to a total of 7.9 tonnes.

Six countries accounted for more than 80 per cent of seizures, with the largest amounts reported by the Netherlands (25 per cent of the total), followed by Australia, the US, Canada, Britain and China.

The biggest seizure of ecstasy in Australia was in June 2007, when authorities intercepted 15 million tablets weighing 4.42 tonnes from Italy.

After The Age's revelations about criminal activities at ports and airports, the Federal Opposition yesterday accused the Government of not doing enough, or spending enough, to curb the problems.

"Airports and ports are the front line in our national and border security, but in their last budget, Labor slashed front-line security at ports and airports by $17.1 million and cut great swathes of staff from our border security agencies," said Opposition justice and customs spokeswoman Sussan Ley.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/australia-top-in-asia-drug-market-20090626-cyg2.html

 

[kingpin007]

Australia has most ecstasy labs: UN
Anne Davies Herald Correspondent in Washington
June 26, 2009

LARGE quantities of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine are being imported by air cargo flights into Australia, which has grown into one of the biggest markets for amphetamines and ecstasy in the region, a United Nations report on the world drug trade has warned.

The World Drug Report attempts to quantify the world drug trade, identify trends and map the routes by which drugs reach their end users.

This year's report finds that global markets for cocaine, opiates and cannabis are steady falling, while production and use of synthetic drugs appears to be increasing, particularly in the developing world.

Australia, the report says, has been successful in cutting heroin use by disrupting supply chains, causing a heroin drought. But there are signs the manufacture of synthetic drugs has gained traction in South-East Asia, and the report warns of Australia's porous borders, which are allowing methamphetamine and its precursor chemicals to be easily imported for use in laboratories.

"Significant methamphetamine precursors continue to be intercepted by customs and law enforcement in both countries," the report says. "In Australia, large quantities of [pseudoephedrine and ephedrine] continue to be imported via air cargo."

The report notes that last July authorities intercepted a single shipment of 850 kilograms of pseudoephedrine from Thailand. It also points to a rise in imports of methamphetamines from Canada, where large laboratories are now controlled by Asian crime syndicates and bikie gangs.

Methamphetamine from Canada accounts for 83 per cent by weight of seized imports into Australia, the report says.

New Zealand estimates that as many as 10 million pharmaceutical precursor tablets containing pseudoephedrine are trafficked from China to New Zealand every year, which is enough to produce 630 kilograms of methamphetamine.

Australia is also a big manufacturer of ecstasy, with more laboratories identified than in any other nation, although some of the European laboratories were larger. "The most significant development in ecstasy-group manufacture has been the shift of operations from west and central Europe to locations closer to consumers around the world," the report says.

"In Australia there is continued evidence of notable domestic manufacture."

Worldwide, ecstasy seizures increased by 62 per cent in 2007 to a total of 7.9 metric tonnes. Six countries accounted for more than 80 per cent of seizures, with the largest amounts reported by the Netherlands, followed by Australia.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/world/australia-has-most-ecstasy-labs-un-20090625-cy7w.html

 

[drug_mentor]

I am really surprised that there were more "ecstasy" laboratories identified in Australia than any other nation. I didn't think much manufacturing went on over here, certainly not that much.

 

[Crankinit]

An ecstasy lab doesn't necessarily imply the production of actual MDMA. Someone pressing shitty caffeine/BZP pills, or even just crushing, adulterating and repressing imported pills, would still be counted as an 'ecstasy lab' in the eyes of law enforcement.

 

[OND43X]

i thought there was little to no amphet in australia, that it was mostly methamp and it has been since the 80s... why does the aussie government and media keep calling it amphetamines

 

[Crankinit]

I think they mean 'amphetamines' as a broader class of chemicals including methamphetamine, MDMA, amphetamine sulphate, etc etc.

 

[OND43X]

thanks for that crankinit. keep on smokeing buddy (gotta keep these stats up)