An Australian profile on the use of cocaine

Data collected on cocaine in Australia in the mid to late 1980s, when law enforcement and treatment centres were concerned with possible increases in cocaine use, indicated a low prevalence of use. This article reports findings from the Australian component of the 1993-94 World Health Organization study entitled "Initiative on Cocaine", which provides an updated analysis of cocaine use patterns and consequences. The two components of this study were a "country profile" which summarized existing health, law enforcement and survey data on cocaine use from national, regional and city level records, and a key informant study which consisted of interviews with people from Sydney and Melbourne who were familiar with cocaine use through personal, professional and observational experience. Findings show that the prevalence of cocaine use has remained low among the general population in Australia (around 2%), and few people present to treatment services with primary cocaine problems or are arrested. However, the use of cocaine seems to have increased among inner Sydney injecting drug users. There have also been indications of larger police seizures of cocaine, reflecting a possible increase in availability. Recommendations are made to provide relevant interventions and continually monitor patterns of cocaine use, particularly among at-risk groups.