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Amphetamine Report

Amphetamine Report

The latest annual report from the International Narcotics Control Board claims that most amphetamines like speed in Australia are made in domestic laboratories.

These Australian illicit drug laboratories are small and highly mobile being able to be moved quickly and easily.

However, there is an increasing amount of amphetamines being smuggled in with Australian border protection agencies reporting a ten fold increase of detections between 2006/7 and 2007/8.

Speed is being sent from North America and South East Asia with a large shipment from China detected in November 2008.

(Source: 2009 Annual Report, International Narcotics Control Board released 24 February 2010).

DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS-

As with other illicit drugs, amphetamines are attracting increasing imports and local production because of the high demand in Australia.

This high demand is providing incentives for organized criminal groups to provide speed.

Early intervention rehabilitation is needed to eliminate the health damage of users.

Amphetamine use causes brain damage, violence, heart problems, stroke, psychosis and addiction.

An intensive drug demand reduction campaign with a diversion of identified speed users into rehabilitation will prevent further harm to users and also assist in reducing health costs to Australian authorities.

A drug demand reduction campaign will also assist Australian border protection agencies to combat the increasing importation of speed.