Assessing daily patterns in stimulant use during the COVID-19 pandemic in Melbourne, Australia using wastewater analysis.
Journal of hazardous materials September 5, 2024 Shuo Chen, Richard Bade, Ben Tscharke et al. 6 citations
Methamphetamine use in Melbourne was increasing before the first lockdown in 2020 and decreased after it ended. During the second lockdown, methamphetamine trends remained steady before rising steeply after restrictions lifted. Cocaine use stayed steady for most of 2020 and increased after the second lockdown. MDMA use decreased after the first lockdown and remained low through 2020 and 2021. In 2021, stimulant use was less variable and less tied to COVID-19 restrictions than in 2020. The findings show how lockdown periods and social restrictions affected illicit stimulant consumption in one of the world's most locked-down cities.