This report summarises key findings from the 2018 Illicit Drug Reporting System interviews that were conducted in Hobart, Tasmania. People who regularly consume ecstasy and related drugs are interviewed face to face about the drugs they use and their health. To complement and interpret this information, data relating to drug use such as health and law enforcement data are also examined.
Key findings from the Tasmanian 2018 interviews include:
- On average, participants were injecting several times per week, with one third injecting every day
- More than half nominated an opioid as their drug of choice and drug most often injected. One third nominated methamphetamines as drug most often injected, predominantly crystal methamphetamine. The rate of participants nominating methamphetamine (and crystal form in particular) as the drug most often injected, has increased over the past 5 years.
- Detailed patterns of recent drug use demonstrate that participants are polysubstance consumers, with most participants using both stimulant and depressant drugs.
- In terms of very frequent use (weekly or more often), three-quarters of participants smoked cannabis, half used pharmaceutical opioids and half used methamphetamines at this frequency.