How many people use crystal methamphetamine?

Measuring crystal methamphetamine ('ice') use in the population is difficult and many people report higher rates in their communities than are reflected in general population surveys. The data we include here come from a number of sources, including population surveys, the National Wastewater Monitoring Program, hospital and other treatment centre data. What is clear from these data is that the impact of ice on many communities around Australia is significant. It is important to note that there are many reasons why people may use ice. 

Ice use in regional and remote communities

Data from several sources shows rates of methamphetamine use and related harms in regional and remote areas in Australia has fluctuated overtime. Earlier data from the National Hospital Morbidity Database (2016-17) indicated people from remote and very remote areas of Australia received hospital care for methamphetamine-related problems at a higher rate than people from capital cities. Consistent with this, the 2016 National Drug Strategy Household Survey found rates of methamphetamine use were 2.5 times as high among people living in remote or very remote areas compared to rates among those living in major cities or regional areas.

However, the 2019 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, indicated that rates of methamphetamine use were similar across major cities, inner regional areas, and remote areas. Rates were slightly lower in outer regional areas. The latest data from the 2023 National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program Report also found that capital city consumption has recently overtaken regional consumption. (Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission). Further monitoring is needed to see if this trend continues. 

Ice use in different populations

There are also other groups of people in Australia who are more likely to use methamphetamine or more likely to experience harms related to methamphetamine compared to others. These groups include young people, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) communities.

Learn more about methamphetamine use and its impacts on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Access culturally appropriate resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

Is ice use increasing in Australia?

It is difficult to determine whether use (including ice) has increased in Australia. Data from the 2019 National Drug Strategy Household Survey suggest that overall rates of methamphetamine (including ice) use in the general population declined over the previous 8 years.

Other data and hospital records indicate that rates of regular and methamphetamine use have increased. Additionally, the number of people who regularly use methamphetamines who report using crystal methamphetamine ('ice') as their main form of methamphetamine has increased from 22 to 50% between 2010 and 2019, while reports of speed use have decreased (from 50 to 20%). The number of individuals reporting smoking as the main route of has also increased (from 19 to 41%). Data from the Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS, 2019) suggests similar trends are emerging among people who inject drugs. Reports show a rise in recent use (last 6 months) of crystal methamphetamine among people who inject drugs from 2010 (39%) to 2019 (76%), and a decline in recent use of speed (41% in 2010, 23% in 2019).

Taken together these data suggest that, among people who use methamphetamines, ice is becoming a more popular form of the drug.

From 2010 to 2019, among people who use methamphetamines regularly, there has been:

Source: 2019 National Drug Strategy Household Survey

Data from the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program (2016 to 2020) indicates that methamphetamine consumption rose in Australia from 2016 to 2019, however it is unknown whether this increase was due to more people using the drug over time or a smaller number of people using larger amounts of the drug over time. The latest report from the program also indicates that consumption has since declined sharply in all Australian capital cities from February to June 2020, possibly due to the impacts of the COVID-19 virus. By contrast, rates of consumption appear to have continued rising in most regional areas in 2020. It should also be noted that alcohol and tobacco were consistently the highest consumed drugs across Australia and that cannabis was not included in the program’s comparison of drugs tested. Secondly, the estimated drug usage from this program was highly variable depending on the different sites tested.