6 Mar 2024

Cocaine use increases by 93 percent in past year

From Nine To Noon, 9:05 am on 6 March 2024

A new report can reveal cocaine use has increased by 93 percent in the past year.

The Drug Foundation has drawn from wastewater testing to paint a picture of drug use across the country for the 2022 to 2023 period. It found 1.3 percent of adults used cocaine, compared to just 0.6 percent three years prior.

Drug Foundation executive director Sarah Helm says while it's worth noting that the increase comes off of a low baseline, it signals that the increasing global production of cocaine is bearing down here. Sarah Helm speaks with Kathryn Ryan.

bag of cocaine and heroin syringe, drugs being sold and packaged. Concept of trafficking and sale of illegal substances

Photo: 123RF