The emergence of more potent forms of methamphetamine in Sydney: Developing our understanding of Australia’s dynamic methamphetamine market

NDARC Staff

Rebecca McKetin, Jennifer McLaren and Erin Kelly

Other Investigators

Robert Rushby (Australian Customs Service) and Nerys Evans (NSW Police)

Aims

Design and Method

The research used a range of methods including: semi-structured interviews with 54 health and law enforcement professionals; face-to-face survey of 310 regular methamphetamine users, including interviews with 55 regular methamphetamine dealers; in-depth interviews with 13 methamphetamine dealers; in-depth interviews with 31 frontline workers (police, ambulance and emergency personnel); a manual review of 2905 emergency department records at an inner Sydney hospital; analysis of forensic data on the purity and physical appearance of methamphetamine seizures in Victoria; and analysis of other routine data sources.

Benefits

Output

The study found that the more pure forms of ‘base’ and ‘ice’ methamphetamine now make up over two-thirds of methamphetamine consumption in Sydney, and the use of ice was associated with higher levels of dependence on methamphetamine. Dependence on methamphetamine was a key predictor of poor psychological and physical functioning, and also a key risk factor for experiencing symptoms of psychosis (e.g., hallucinations and persecutory delusions).

The prevalence of psychosis was 11 times higher among the methamphetamine users interviewed in this study compared to the Australian general population. Almost one in four (23%) participants had experienced symptoms of psychosis in the past year, and psychosis was also common (18%) among people who had no known history of schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders. Symptoms of psychosis including auditory and visual hallucinations and persecutory ideation, and these experiences typically lasted up to three hours. The majority of symptom episodes did not lead hospitalisation (89%); however, 27% of participants reported overt hostility at the time they were experiencing psychotic symptoms. The hostility associated with methamphetamine psychosis presented a serious occupational health and safety issue for ambulance, emergency and police personnel.

A dissemination phase for this project will occur in early 2006. Detailed findings from the study can be found in the following reports:

McKetin, R., McLaren, J., & Kelly, E. (2005). The Sydney methamphetamine market: Patterns of supply, use, personal harms and social consequences. National Drug Law Enforcement Monograph Series No. 13. Australasian Centre for Policing Research, Adelaide.

McKetin, R. & McLaren, J. (2004). The methamphetamine situation in Australia: A review of routine data sources. NDARC Technical Report No. 233. Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre.

Funding

National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund