Perth and Western Australian Drug Testing nets ICE
Announcement posted by Integrity Sampling 27 Oct 2016
The drug ICE and other methamphetaminesare becoming a major issue in Australia, particularly in Perth and Western Australia.
The drug ICE and other methamphetaminesare becoming a major issue in Australia, particularly in Perth and Western Australia.
In Australia, ICE is arguably considered the most insidious illicit drug in use. This isn’t because of its usage rate. In fact, 2.1% of Australians have tried ICE or other meth / amphetamines in the past 12 months, which is well behind the usage rates of cannabis (10.2%). Even ecstasy, with a usage rate 2.5%, is more commonly used than methamphetamines.
The reason why ICE is considered insidious and a major threat to our society is its powerful effects. These effects are causing a disproportionate impact to the community compared with other drugs. This is highlighted, for example, on our roads, where in Victoria alone ICE is in some way involved in 10% of fatalities, and in our police stations, where arrests from ICE use are growing alarmingly.
But when it comes to the use of ICE and other methamphetamines, there is one state that has the dubious honour of being the champion. In fact, Western Australia has been labelled by one District Court Judge as being amongst the worst for ICE usage in the civilised world.
This sensational claim is backed up by drug testing undertaken in workplaces by Integrity Sampling in Perth and Western Australia. The drug testing shows that ICE and methamphetamines are responsible for far more positive tests than any other illegal drug.
“Across the past three months, methamphetamines has accounted for 67% of all illicit drug detections in drug testing we’ve carried out in Perth and Western Australia,” says Integrity Sampling WA Director, Paul Marshall.
While this percentage of positive drug testing seems extreme it is – unfortunately – in line with other recent research, which supports the notion that methamphetamines are more widely used in Western Australia than any other state.
In the Government of Western Australia Meth Strategy 2016 report it’s been claimed that:
• 3.8% of Western Australians have used methamphetamines in past year, well above the national figures.
• WA Police have seen a 40.8% increase in arrests involving meth / amphetamines between 2013/14 and 2014/15.
• The percentage of offenders in the Perth Watch House who recently used meth has risen from 15% in 2009 to 53% in 2015.
• The amount of meth seized in raids has more than doubled in the past year.
Other research conducted by the Western Australian State Government as part of the their methamphetamines strategy, found that Western Australians are using around 2 tonnes of the drug a year. The novel but effective research, conducted in Perth, Bunbury and Geraldton by collecting wastewater from treatment facilities, showed that methamphetamines with a street value of $2 billion were being used by Western Australians each year.
The State Government’s Western Australian Meth Strategy 2016 aims to tackle the usage of methamphetamines on three main fronts. This includes education, support and treatment services to help people who are impacted by meth and disrupting supply of ICE and other methamphetamines.
For more information about Integrity Sampling’s drug and alcohol testing services, see Integrity Sampling’s Western Australian and Perth pages.
In Australia, ICE is arguably considered the most insidious illicit drug in use. This isn’t because of its usage rate. In fact, 2.1% of Australians have tried ICE or other meth / amphetamines in the past 12 months, which is well behind the usage rates of cannabis (10.2%). Even ecstasy, with a usage rate 2.5%, is more commonly used than methamphetamines.
The reason why ICE is considered insidious and a major threat to our society is its powerful effects. These effects are causing a disproportionate impact to the community compared with other drugs. This is highlighted, for example, on our roads, where in Victoria alone ICE is in some way involved in 10% of fatalities, and in our police stations, where arrests from ICE use are growing alarmingly.
But when it comes to the use of ICE and other methamphetamines, there is one state that has the dubious honour of being the champion. In fact, Western Australia has been labelled by one District Court Judge as being amongst the worst for ICE usage in the civilised world.
This sensational claim is backed up by drug testing undertaken in workplaces by Integrity Sampling in Perth and Western Australia. The drug testing shows that ICE and methamphetamines are responsible for far more positive tests than any other illegal drug.
“Across the past three months, methamphetamines has accounted for 67% of all illicit drug detections in drug testing we’ve carried out in Perth and Western Australia,” says Integrity Sampling WA Director, Paul Marshall.
While this percentage of positive drug testing seems extreme it is – unfortunately – in line with other recent research, which supports the notion that methamphetamines are more widely used in Western Australia than any other state.
In the Government of Western Australia Meth Strategy 2016 report it’s been claimed that:
• 3.8% of Western Australians have used methamphetamines in past year, well above the national figures.
• WA Police have seen a 40.8% increase in arrests involving meth / amphetamines between 2013/14 and 2014/15.
• The percentage of offenders in the Perth Watch House who recently used meth has risen from 15% in 2009 to 53% in 2015.
• The amount of meth seized in raids has more than doubled in the past year.
Other research conducted by the Western Australian State Government as part of the their methamphetamines strategy, found that Western Australians are using around 2 tonnes of the drug a year. The novel but effective research, conducted in Perth, Bunbury and Geraldton by collecting wastewater from treatment facilities, showed that methamphetamines with a street value of $2 billion were being used by Western Australians each year.
The State Government’s Western Australian Meth Strategy 2016 aims to tackle the usage of methamphetamines on three main fronts. This includes education, support and treatment services to help people who are impacted by meth and disrupting supply of ICE and other methamphetamines.
For more information about Integrity Sampling’s drug and alcohol testing services, see Integrity Sampling’s Western Australian and Perth pages.