Australian Bureau of Statistics
Celebrating the International Year of Statistics 2013

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The traffic in, and abuse of, illicit drugs results in significant social and financial costs to both individuals and the community. To minimise the harm associated with illicit drug activity, there is close cooperation between the Australian Government, the state and territory governments, the various police services and other law enforcement agencies. Included in these agencies is the ACS which has, among other things, responsibility for the enforcement of laws controlling the import and export of illicit drugs. These agencies direct particular attention to monitoring the various types and forms of illicit drugs and identifying emerging patterns of use through the analysis of law enforcement data on illicit drug seizures and arrests.

In 2002-03 by far the largest category of drug arrests involved cannabis offences, with 55,689 arrests, or 74% of the national total (table 11.14). Queensland recorded over a third of these arrests (19,879). The next largest category of arrests involved amphetamine offences, with 8,313 arrests, or 11% of the national total.

11.14 DRUG ARRESTS(a) - 2002-03
Drug type	NSW	Vic.	Qld	SA	WA	Tas.	NT	ACT	Aust.
NUMBER
Cannabis(b)	12,368	7,022	19,879	7,877	6,028	1,830	405	280	55,689
Cocaine	148	51	36	5	8	-	-	2	250
Heroin and other opioids	1,287	1,951	298	52	186	9	1	40	3,824
Amphetamine-type stimulants	2,070	1,842	2,533	388	1,300	66	50	64	8,313
Hallucinogens	29	39	22	16	17	1	-	-	124
Steroids	33	3	54	-	15	2	3	3	113
Other drugs(c)	1,132	931	3,986	139	304	86	-	82	6,660
Total	17,067	11,839	26,808	8,477	7,858	1,994	459	471	74,973
RATE PER 100,000 ADULT(d) POPULATION
Cannabis(b)	185.6	143.7	529.5	517.4	311.2	385.8	204.5	86.9	281.9
Cocaine	2.2	1.0	1.0	0.3	0.4	-	-	0.6	1.3
Heroin and other opioids	19.3	39.9	7.9	3.4	9.6	1.9	0.5	12.4	19.4
Amphetamine-type stimulants	31.1	37.7	67.5	25.5	67.1	13.9	25.2	19.9	42.1
Hallucinogens	0.4	0.8	0.6	1.1	0.9	0.2	-	-	0.6
Steroids	0.5	0.1	1.4	-	0.8	0.4	1.5	0.9	0.6
Other drugs(c)	17.0	19.1	106.2	9.1	15.7	18.1	-	25.5	33.7
Total	256.2	242.4	714.1	556.8	405.7	420.4	231.7	146.2	379.5
(a) The arrest data for each state and territory include AFP data. (b) The SA, NT and ACT figures include infringement notices. (c) 'Other drugs' includes phencyclidine (PCP or 'angel dust'), diazepam, lignocaine, benzocaine, dothiepin, flunitrazepam, other prescription drugs, and any drug not included in the other categories. (d) Persons aged 18 years and over in all states and territories except Vic. and Qld, where 'adult' refers to persons aged 17 years and over. Source: Australian Crime Commission, 'Illicit Drug Data Report, 2002-03'.

Arrests for most types of drugs increased between 2001-02 and 2002-03 (graph 11.15). Heroin arrests rose by 17% to 3,824 after declining markedly between 1998-99 and 2001-02. Amphetamines arrests increased by 5%, continuing the increase that occurred between 1997-98 and 2000-01. Arrests and infringement notices for cannabis rose slightly to 55,689, after declining steadily between 1997-98 and 2000-01. The only drug type to show a clear decrease in arrests in 2002-03 was cocaine, which declined by 59% to 250.