If you conduct drug testing in your Victorian workplace, what drugs are you likely to detect? As recent statistics show, it could depend on where your business is located in Victoria.
As revealed in a recent Herald Sun article, new crime data from Crime Statistics Victoria reveals which Victorian areas are hotspots for specific drugs. These include cocaine, cannabis, methamphetamines and heroin.
You’re more likely to detect cocaine in workplace drug testing if…
Your workplace is in the CBD. Outside of the city centre, Melbourne inner-suburbs of Albert Park, Middle Park and South Melbourne is where you’re most likely to detect cocaine in drug testing.
For those who aren’t familiar with Melbourne, the three suburbs are what the Herald Sun describe as cashed-up. Figures from Crime Statistics Victoria show the three suburbs and the Port Phillip council they are in are the cocaine capital of Victoria. There were 53 charges laid against people in the year ending March 2023 for cocaine possession. Not far behind is Melbourne’s wealthiest suburb, Toorak.
The results are perhaps not surprising as cocaine is a very expensive drug for people to purchase.
You’re more likely to detect methamphetamines in workplace drug testing if…
Your workplace is in Melbourne’s outer suburbs and in some regional areas.
Melbourne’s eastern suburbs are the hotspots, with Greater Dandenong recording 310 charges for methamphetamine possession, Knox 240 and Casey 210.
In the Herald Sun article, Criminal psychologist Tim Watson-Munro is quoted as saying that methamphetamines or ICE, as it is commonly called, is considered a dirty street drug. It’s cheaper to purchase than cocaine and is a more dangerous drug as it severely impacts people’s judgement, impulsivity and behaviour.
You’re more likely to detect cannabis in workplace drug testing if…
Your workplace is in Melbourne’s CBD, however, its use is very widespread. It’s easily the most used illegal drug in Victoria and Australia. Which means that people all around the state are being caught with it in their possession.
It also means that if you conduct workplace drug testing, cannabis will likely be the number one drugs for positive tests.
You’re more likely to detect heroin in workplace drug testing if…
Your workplace is in the Yarra council area. Other Melbourne council areas, Brimbank and Greater Dandenong aren’t far behind.
While illegal and still an issue, today heroin is one of the least used illicit drugs in Victoria. Mr Watson-Munro says in the Herald Sun article: “45 years ago heroin was the choice of drug but since the last 25 or some years it’s meth. And it’s a much more dangerous drug.”
Looking further
In total, there were almost 25,000 charges of drug possession in Victoria in the year ending March 2023. During the period, there were also 4000 charges for drug dealing or trafficking.
While the Melbourne area outstrips regional areas for charges, this is primarily due to population. Regional areas also have significant issues with drug use.
In terms of regional hotspots, Greater Geelong leads the way but again this is perhaps not surprising as it’s a major regional area with a large population. Next were Latrobe, which includes Morwell which is Victoria’s most unsafe suburb per capita according to the Herald Sun article. Next were Greater Shepparton, Mornington Peninsula and Mildura.
It should also be noted that it’s not just illicit drugs that cause issues in Victoria and society in general. The misuse of prescription drugs is also prominent in Victoria and in some cases are used by people to bring them down from stimulant drug use.
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If you conduct drug testing in your Victorian workplace, what drugs are you likely to detect? Credit Colin Davis https://unsplash.com/photos/pJgSrU_e2Ks
