On
7 May 2019 The
Sydney Morning Herald reported
that:
Amphetamine
possession in NSW has risen by 250 per cent over the past decade….
The
alarming statistics, which also showed possession in some parts of
the state had skyrocketed by up to 1000 per cent, were presented on
Tuesday at the special commission of inquiry into the drug ice
commissioned by Premier Gladys Berejiklian.
The
following statistics indicate the prevelance of amphetamine use and
possession in the NSW Northern Rivers region in 2020.
NSW
RECORDED CRIME STATISTICS APRIL 2019-MARCH 2020
Tweed
LGA:
Possession
&/or use of amphetamines rate per 100,000 head of population –
150.9
Byron
Bay LGA:
Possession
&/or use of amphetamines rate per 100,000 head of population –
147.5
Clarence
Valley LGA:
Possession
&/or use of amphetamines rate per 100,000 head of population –
135.
Lismore
City LGA:
Possession
&/or use of amphetamines rate per 100,000 head of population –
120.9
Richmond
Valley LGA:
Possession
&/or use of amphetamines rate per 100,000 head of population –
111.1
Ballina
LGA:
Possession
&/o use of amphetamines rate per 100,000 head of population –
79.6
Kyogle
LGA:
Possession
&/or use of amphetamines rate per 100,000 head of population –
45.1
The
two year trend and annual percentage change for all seven Northern
Rivers local government areas appears to be stable.
By
way of general comparison,
Coffs Harbour LGA on
the mid-North Coast had a possession
&/or use of amphetamines
rate per 100,000 head of
population of 177.7, Port
Macquarie-Hastings LGA a rate
of 132.3, Newcastle LGA
127.4, Sydney LGA 363.8 (up 25.4% on two year trend & annual
percentage change) and New South Wales 103.1 (up 12.8% on two year trend & annual percentage change).
After
the COVID-19 global pandenic was declared on 11 March 2020 the six
week period after social distancing was imposed (15 March –
26 April, 2020) saw overall drug
possession fall by 4% in New South Wales.
Note:
Rate per 100,000 head of population does not necessarily represent a high number of incidents. For example, in 2019 the Clarence Valley possession &/or use of amphetamines rate per 100,000 head of population was 147.2 based on a total of 76 recorded incidents.
Note:
Rate per 100,000 head of population does not necessarily represent a high number of incidents. For example, in 2019 the Clarence Valley possession &/or use of amphetamines rate per 100,000 head of population was 147.2 based on a total of 76 recorded incidents.
