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Profiles of illicit drug use during annual key holiday and control periods: wastewater analysis in an urban, a semi-rural and a vacation area
Citation
Lai, FY and Bruno, R and Hall, W and Gartner, C and Ort, C and Kirkbride, P and Prichard, J and Thai, PK and Carter, S and Mueller, JF, Profiles of illicit drug use during annual key holiday and control periods: wastewater analysis in an urban, a semi-rural and a vacation area, Addiction, 108, (3) pp. 556-565. ISSN 0965-2140 (2013) [Refereed Article]
Copyright Statement
Copyright 2012 The Authors, Addiction © 2012 Society for the Study of Addiction
Abstract
Aims To examine changes in illicit drug consumption between peak holiday season (23 December–3 January) in
Australia and a control period two months later in a coastal urban area, an inland semi-rural area and an island
populated predominantly by vacationers during holidays. Design Analysis of representative daily composite wastewater
samples collected from the inlet of the major wastewater treatment plant in each area. Setting Three wastewater
treatment plants. Participants Wastewater treatment plants serviced approximately 350 000 persons in the
urban area, 120 000 in the semi-rural area and 1100–2400 on the island. Measurements Drug residues were
analysed using liquid chromatography coupled to a tandem mass spectrometer. Per capita drug consumption was
estimated. Changes in drug use were quantified using Hedges’ g. Findings During the holidays, cannabis consumption
in the semi-rural area declined (g = -2.82) as did methamphetamine (-0.79), whereas cocaine (+1.50) and
ecstasy (+1.58) use increased. In the urban area, consumption of all drugs increased during holidays (cannabis +1.58,
cocaine +1.67, ecstasy +0.85 and methamphetamine +0.33). In the vacation area, methamphetamine (+0.67),
ecstasy (+0.68) and cocaine (+1.14) use increased, but cannabis (-0.46) use decreased during holiday periods.
Conclusions While the peak holiday season in Australia is perceived as a period of increased drug use, this is not
uniform across all drugs and areas. Substantial declines in drug use in the semi-rural area contrasted with substantial
increases in urban and vacation areas. Per capita drug consumption in the vacation area was equivalent to that in the
urban area, implying that these locations merit particular attention for drug use monitoring and harm minimisation
measures.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
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Keywords: | wastewater, drug epidemiology |
Research Division: | Psychology |
Research Group: | Biological psychology |
Research Field: | Behavioural neuroscience |
Objective Division: | Health |
Objective Group: | Public health (excl. specific population health) |
Objective Field: | Public health (excl. specific population health) not elsewhere classified |
UTAS Author: | Bruno, R (Associate Professor Raimondo Bruno) |
UTAS Author: | Prichard, J (Associate Professor Jeremy Prichard) |
ID Code: | 81167 |
Year Published: | 2013 (online first 2012) |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 79 |
Deposited By: | Psychology |
Deposited On: | 2012-11-25 |
Last Modified: | 2017-11-07 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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