Falling meth prices help drive deaths to record levels
New data from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre indicates that methamphetamine-related deaths in Australia have reached record levels. Experts attribute this surge to increased global supply, strong local demand, and falling street prices.
Why it matters
The rise in drug-related fatalities highlights a growing public health crisis and the failure of current supply-side interventions.
Falling prices are considered a factor in increased methamphetamine use in Australia. Photo: Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS Falling methamphetamine prices have helped push overdose deaths to record levels, new data shows.
All articles from our website & app The digital version of Today's Paper Crosswords, Sudoku and Trivia All other regional websites in your area Continue Increased global supply and strong local demand are among the factors driving a surge in use of the illicit drug, according to the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre.
"Use and harms remain substantial and appear to have continued the upward trajectory that we saw before the COVID-19 pandemic," UNSW Sydney medical researcher Amy Peacock told AAP.
"In fact, several of the indicators are now at the highest observed levels that we've seen, including wastewater, consumption, methamphetamine-related hospitalisations, and death."
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