Amphetamines: client demographics and treatment

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In 2022–23, amphetamines were reported as a drug of concern (either principal or additional) in 3 in 10 treatment episodes (30% or 64,528 episodes) (Table Drg.5).

Amphetamines were the second most common principal drug of concern, recorded in almost 1 in 4 treatment episodes (24% or 51,902 episodes) (Table Drg.4). 

Amphetamines have remained the second most common principal drug of concern:

  • Since 2015–16, when it surpassed cannabis for the first time (Table Drg.5).
  • With treatment episodes almost doubling since 2013–14 (28,919 to 51,902 episodes), although this has declined since 2019–20.
  • In relation to all other drugs of concern, treatment episodes for amphetamines steadily rose between 2013–14 (17%) and 2019–20 (28%) but declined in 2020–21 to 24% where is has remained since (Table Drg.1).

In 2022–23, around 1 in 3 (33% or 16,958) amphetamine-related treatment episodes reported at least one additional drug of concern (Table Drg.2). The most common additional drugs of concern were cannabis (37% or 9,104 episodes), alcohol (22% or 5,480 episodes) and nicotine (18% or 4,411 episodes) (Table Drg.3). Clients can nominate up to 5 additional drugs of concern: these drugs may not have been the subject of any treatment in the episode.

Figure AMPET: Closed treatment episodes for own alcohol or drug use by amphetamines as a principal drug of concern and top 5 additional drugs of concern, 2022–23

The flow chart shows amphetamines as a principal drug of concern broken down by additional drugs of concern.

Note: Diagram presents the top 5 additional drugs of concern for a principal drug of concern. Totals do not add to 100%.

For information on amphetamine use and harms, please see:

Client demographics

In 2022–23, 27,974 clients received treatment for amphetamines as the principal drug of concern. Of these clients:

  • 3 in 5 were male (61% of clients) (Table SC.9). 
  • Almost 2 in 3 were aged either 20–29 (26% of clients) or 30–39 years (39%) (Table SC.10). This was consistent for both males and females (Figure AMPHET 1).
  • 1 in 5 were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) people (20% of clients) (Table SC.11). This represents a crude rate of 909 First Nations clients per 100,000 people (crude rate) (Table SCR.26).

Figure AMPHET 1: Clients with amphetamines as the principal drug of concern, by sex and age group, 2022–23

The butterfly bar chart shows that in 2022–23, clients receiving treatment for amphetamines as the principal drug of concern were most likely to be aged 30–39 (38.5% of male clients; 39.5% of female clients). 

Treatment

In 2022–23, 51,902 treatment episodes were provided to clients for amphetamines as the principal drug of concern (Table Drg.4).

Among amphetamine-related treatment episodes in 2022–23:

  • The most common source of referral into treatment was self/family (36% or 18,938 episodes), followed by health services (26%) (Figure AMPHET 2, Table Drg.37).
  • The most common main treatment type was counselling (34% or 17,647), followed by assessment only (23%) (Figure AMPHET 2, Table Drg.36). This is consistent with previous years, although the proportion of counselling episodes has fluctuated in the 10 years to 2022–23.
  • Over 3 in 5 treatment episodes took place in a non-residential treatment facility (62% of episodes) (Table Drg.38).
  • The median duration of treatment episodes was over four weeks (31 days) (Table Drg.39). 
  • Episode duration varied by main treatment type, with the longest median duration being around 10 weeks (72 days) for counselling (Table Drg.41). Nearly 3 in 10 (29%) treatment episodes lasted 2–29 days, a further 28% lasted 1 to 3 months (Table OV.12).
  • Over 1 in 2 episodes ended with a planned completion (53% of episodes), while 24% ended unexpectedly (that is, the client ceased to participate against advice, without notice or due to non-compliance) (Figure AMPHET 2, Table Drg.38).

Figure AMPHET 2: Treatment episodes with amphetamines as the principal drug of concern, by main treatment type, reason for cessation or source of referral, 2013–14 to 2022–23

The line graph shows that counselling was the most common main treatment type among treatment episodes for amphetamines across the 10 years to 2022–23, rising from 12,969 episodes in 2013–14, peaking at 24,701 episodes in 2019-20 and falling to 17,647 episodes in 2022–23. Assessment only remained the second most common main treatment types across the period, accounting for 12,087 episodes in 2022–23. Filters allow the user to view data as the number or per cent of episodes for main treatment type, reason for cessation or source of referral.

Methamphetamine-related treatment episodes

In 2022–23, 4 in 5 (82%) amphetamine-related treatment episodes were for methamphetamine as the principal drug of concern (Table Drg.5). Methamphetamine episodes increased from 25% to 82% since 2013–14 (from 7,168 to 42,380 episodes) (Figure AMPHET 3).

The rise in reported episodes for methamphetamine may be due to a combination of factors, including improvements in agency coding practices for methamphetamine, treatment system updates and increases in funded treatment services.

Figure AMPHET 3: Treatment episodes with amphetamines as the principal drug of concern, by amphetamine type, 2013–14 to 2022–23

The line graph shows that methamphetamine has remained the most common amphetamine type among treatment episodes for amphetamines since 2015–16, when it overtook ‘Amphetamines not further defined’. Methamphetamine accounted for 42,380 treatment episodes in 2022–23. A filter allows the user to view data as the number or per cent of episodes.

Method of use

How does a client’s method of use relate to the form of amphetamine used?

A client’s usual method of administering their principal drug of concern may indicate the form of drug used, particularly for amphetamines. For example:

  • Clients who report smoking or inhaling amphetamines are most likely to be using amphetamines in crystal form.
  • Clients who report ingesting or snorting are most likely to be using a powder form.
  • Clients who report injecting amphetamines may be using any form of amphetamines, as each form (base, crystal and powder) can be injected. However, recent data from the Illicit Drug Reporting System (an annual survey of people who inject drugs) indicate that crystal and powder are the most common forms used among people who inject methamphetamine (Sutherland et al. 2022).

Among all amphetamine-related treatment episodes in 2022–23, smoking/inhaling was the most common method of use (50% of episodes), followed by injecting (33%) (Figure AMPHET 4, Table Drg.6). This was similar for methamphetamine (52% and 36% for smoking/inhaling and injecting, respectively) (Table Drg.6).

Between 2013–14 and 2022–23:

  • The number of episodes where clients reported smoking/inhaling amphetamines increased from 11,963 episodes in 2013–14 to 26,143 episodes in 2022–23 (Figure AMPHET 4, Table Drg.6). This declined from 29,162 episodes in 2020–21, reflecting an overall decline in treatment episodes for amphetamines in the past three years.
  • The number of episodes where clients injected amphetamines more than doubled between 2013–14 to 2019–20 (from 12,596 to 22,375 episodes), falling to 16,314 in 2021–22 before increasing to 17,142 in 2022–23 (Figure AMPHET 4, Table Drg.6).

Figure AMPHET 4: Treatment episodes with amphetamines as the principal drug of concern, by method of use, 2013–14 to 2022–23

The line graph shows that ‘Smokes or inhales’ has remained the most common method of use among treatment episodes for amphetamines since 2014–15, when it overtook ‘Injects’ for the first time. ‘Smokes or inhales’ was the method of use in 26,143 episodes for amphetamines in 2022–23, while ‘Injects’ was the second most common method of use in 17,142 episodes. Buttons allow the user to navigate to a horizontal stacked bar chart presenting trend data disaggregated by amphetamines group and method of use.

The rise in treatment episodes between 2013–14 and 2019–20 where clients report injecting amphetamines may be related to several factors, including increases in treatment episodes overall, and particularly for people who might have been injecting amphetamines and heroin interchangeably (AIHW 2015). 

Additionally, increases in treatment episodes for smoking methamphetamine from 2010 onwards are associated with increased importation of high purity crystalline methamphetamine into Australia (Degenhardt et al. 2017). National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) analysis of AODTS NMDS data indicates this greater availability of crystalline methamphetamines is reflected in the increased number of episodes identifying smoking as a method of use (McKetin et al. 2021).

Treatment episodes for methamphetamines where smoking was the method of use were primarily provided to younger clients (median age 30 years). These clients were more likely to receive main treatment types of assessment only or support and case management (McKetin et al. 2021).

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