Amphetamine is a highly addictive substance that has caused serious public health problems globally. There is emerging evidence of serious long-term effects of amphetamine use, including depression, anxiety, psychosis and memory disturbance.
Reports also found that there were 371 methamphetamine-related deaths in Australia between 2000 and 2005. Read more.
Data from the Emergency Department Information Service found that between 2005 and 2010, there were a total of 1872 reported amphetamine-related ED presentations to all metropolitan hospitals in WA. Royal Perth Hospital (RPH) in Western Australia (WA) experience many amphetamine-related presentations to their Emergency Department (ED) with 156 presentations to the ED being judged as amphetamine-related in a 3 month period in 2005. Read more about the impact amphetamines have on hospitals.
Data from Mental Health Information Service also found that between 2006 and 2010, there was a reported 2062 persons with a primary diagnosis of Amphetamine-related psychosis in outpatient and inpatient services of metropolitan hospitals in WA. In 2010, there were 2,510* amphetamine-related treatment sessions in WA alone.
In 2007, illegal drugs were detected in 29% (61) of road crash fatalities in Western Australia. Of the fatalities with drugs detected, 44% (27) had were reported testing positive to amphetamines. Read more on the reported road crashes in Western Australia.
The 2010 National Drug Strategy Household Survey found that in Australia:
- 25.4% of recent meth/amphetamines users aged 14 years and older were diagnosed and/or treated for a mental illness in the last twelve months compared to 11.8% of those who had never used meth/amphetamines.
- 21.1% of recent meth/amphetamines users aged 14 years and older reported high to very high levels of psychological distress compared to 9.7% of those who had never used meth/amphetamines.
- 7.6% of recent meth/amphetamines users aged 14 years and older had used anti-depressant medication in the last 12 months compared to 1.6% of those who had never used meth/amphetamines.
- 9.1% of recent meth/amphetamines users aged 14 years and older reported feeling depressed for most or all of the time in the last month compared to 2.2% of those who had never used meth/amphetamines.
- 6.1% of recent meth/amphetamines users aged 14 years and older reported damaging property due to drug use in the last 12 months compared to 0.2% of those who had never used meth/amphetamines.
- 8.2% of recent meth/amphetamines users aged 14 years and older reported created a public disturbance due to drug use in the last 12 months compared to 0.2% of those who had never used meth/amphetamines.
- 4.6% of recent meth/amphetamines users aged 14 years and older reported stealing money, goods or property due to drug use in the last 12 months compared to 0.1% of those who had never used meth/amphetamines.
- 15.6% of recent meth/amphetamines users aged 14 years and older reported verbally abusing someone due to drug use in the last 12 months compared to 0.4% of those who had never used meth/amphetamines.
- 4.3% of recent meth/amphetamines users aged 14 years and older reported physically abusing someone due to drug use in the last 12 months compared to 0.1% of those who had never used meth/amphetamines.
Read the 2010 National Drug Strategy Household Survey findings.
*Data was extracted from the SIMS database on 31/10/2011. Whilst the data is considered to be true and correct at the date of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact upon the accuracy of the data. SIMS is an active database and the data may change without notice. Changes may relate to a number of issues, including amendments made to the database and variations in syntax used to perform the individual queries. DAO is not in any way liable for the accuracy or repeat reliability of any information printed and/or stored by a user.