Heroin use amongst Australian detainees is still below the levels recorded prior to the heroin drought whilst methamphetamine use continues to rise, according to a new survey of drug use amongst detainees released today by the Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator Chris Ellison.
Releasing the 2003 Annual Report on Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA), Senator Ellison said the survey figures would provide an invaluable input into the Australian Government's approach to rehabilitation, education and law enforcement to tackle illicit drug use.
"DUMA has detected that heroin use has remained low since the heroin shortage in 2001 highlighting the Australian government's successful supply interdiction efforts by the Australian Federal Police, Australian Customs Service, international law enforcement and State and Territory police services," Senator Ellison said.
"Australia is unique amongst Western countries in that the Government is not aware of any other similar country experiencing a sustained heroin shortage.
"Although the Government's Tough on Drugs policy has produced results, the war on drugs continues and there are many challenges ahead.
"DUMA has been in operation since 1999 and has provided police, policy-makers, criminal justice practitioners and other professionals with vital long-term data on illicit drug use among people arrested and brought to a police station or watchhouse," he said.
"This unique data covers patterns of drug use, local drug markets, criminal activity, and treatment which is an invaluable aid to community planning, monitoring, state and federal law enforcement and resource allocation.
"It forms an important part of the Australian government's approach to reducing the use of illicit drugs in our community, which has included an investment of more than $1 billion in the Tough on Drugs strategy which tackles illicit drug use on three fronts: health, education and law enforcement."
The report also found: