Regional Australians more than doubled their use of the opioid fentanyl within a year, the latest wastewater tests show.
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission's fifth National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program report released on Tuesday shows use of the painkiller fentanyl more than doubled in regional Australia in the year to April 2018, and was at its highest levels of use across Australia since the program began.
The testing covered more than half of the Australian population, with 47 wastewater treatment plants participating across the country in April 2018.
The report, which surveyed 23 countries, found Australia ranked second highest after the US for total estimated stimulant consumption.
More to come.
