Australia's ice towns are revealed: Inside the suburbs where meth use has soared by 1,000 per cent
- Amphetamine use in New South Wales has skyrocketed over the past decade
- One suburb in particular has seen meth use rise by as much as 1000 per cent
- Crime figures revealed drug possession in the CBD hasn't changed in 10 years
Amphetamine use in New South Wales has skyrocketed over the past decade with one suburb in particular seeing meth use rise by as much as 1000 per cent.
A special inquiry into the drug, commissioned by Premier Gladys Berejiklian, on Tuesday revealed the scourge is rapidly taking hold of several suburbs.
The NSW government set up the special commission of inquiry in late 2018 to examine the use and impact of crystal methamphetamines and other illicit stimulants such as MDMA.
Crime figures presented to the inquiry revealed possession remains the highest in Sydney's CBD and outer suburbs, with 250 incidences per 100,000 people last year.
Amphetamine use in New South Wales has skyrocketed over the past decade with one suburb in particular seeing meth use rise by as much as 1000 per cent
The inquiry revealed Coffs Harbour, on the north coast of NSW, and Grafton, in the Northern Rivers region, had the most alarming increase in drug possession.
Both locations had an above average rate of about 120 incidents per 100,000 people, with rates skyrocketing by 1,000 per cent over the last decade.
Coffs Harbour recorded a spike in possession by almost 1000 per cent - from about 15 incidents in 2009 to 163 in 2018.
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'The increase in Coffs Harbour is remarkable, similarly in [the state's] far west ... where there's been a 700 per cent increase, from 31 to 245 incidents,' acting executive director at the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, Jackie Fitzgerald told the inquiry.
Ms Fitzgerald said the Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven, in the southeast coast, had recorded a 500 per cent increase in the rate of possession.
While the rate of possession in the Central Coast and Hunter Valley region, north of Sydney, had recorded a 400 per cent spike in the last decade, she said.
Crime figures presented to the inquiry revealed possession remains the highest in the CBD and outer suburbs, with 250 incidences per 100,000 people last year
The inquiry revealed Coffs Harbour (pictured), and Grafton, in the Northern Rivers region, had the most alarming increase in drug possession
Director of clinical quality and safety at the Centre for Population Health, Michelle Cretikos, said men were more likely to be hospitalised for amphetamine use.
However, Indigenous Australians were found to be seven times more likely to be hospitalised than non-Indigenous people, she said.
National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre director Michael Farrell told the inquiry there were some 1500 deaths recorded over the past decade involving methamphetamines.
Coronial data shows the average victim is male and 37 years old. Over half have a history of injecting drugs, Prof Farrell told the hearing.
Some 73 per cent of people found guilty of amphetamine possession in 2018 had a prior conviction in the past five years with 20 per cent having a prior conviction for domestic violence.
Almost 25 per cent had previously served a prison sentence.
The Southern Highlands (pictured) and Shoalhaven, in the southeast coast, also recorded a 500 per cent increase in the rate of possession
The inquiry also found amphetamine possession statewide had risen by 250 per cent over the past decade with 1500 users dying from the drug
An analysis of admissions relating to amphetamine use also found the most common secondary diagnosis was other 'substance use', such as cannabis and sedatives.
The inquiry also found amphetamine possession statewide had risen by 250 per cent over the past decade with 1500 users dying from the drug.
Director of the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre Professor Michael Farrell said out of those deaths, the average person was a 37-year-old male.
He said the death rate from amphetamine use had doubled between 2009 and 2015.
'We've gone through every coronial report and found 59 per cent of the location of deaths were in metropolitan areas but 41 per cent were in rural or regional areas,' he said.
The inquiry will visit Lismore and Nowra later this month, before Dubbo and East Maitland in June, and Broken Hill in July.
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