The latest research shows Australians are self-medicating with cannabis to help with pain, mental health, sleep and neurological conditions.

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A survey of 1,744 conducted by the University of Sydney looked at the the use of cannabis for therapeutic reasons within the past 12 months.

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The conditions being self-treated using cannabis are most commonly back pain, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, arthritis and PTSD (post traumatic stress syndrome).

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Most people smoke cannabis either through bongs (42%) or joints (20%), although most indicated they would prefer using safer approaches, such as oral or vaporised methods.

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Source:  businessinsider.com.au      Date: 14 August 2018

Thousands of Australians are turning up to work under the influence of methamphetamines, according to a new report from South Australia's peak business lobby.

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The report also found about 5,000 people in South Australia working in safety sensitive industries — 2.2 per cent of workers — were "either under the influence of ice or suffering its hangover effects".

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Source:  abc.net.au      Date: 27 July 2018

Data from the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program  shows that methylamphetamine, of all the substances measured, continues to be the highest consumed illicit drug across all regions of Australia.

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The National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program provides concrete data to inform policy in the health, education, law enforcement and not-for-profit sectors.

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Source:  asic.gov.au      Date: 5 April 2018

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While this wastewater data is for all of the population - not just workplaces - signs of increased use are also being seen in testing laboratories performing workplace drug testing.

Police have carried out a search warrant in Perth’s south and charged a woman with careless driving following the circulation of a photo in which a driver appeared to be smoking a glass meth pipe.

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On Saturday, 7 News Perth reported the photo, which appeared to show a woman smoking from a glass pipe, had been taken by another driver on the Kwinana Freeway that afternoon.

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The image was also sent to police on Saturday sparking an investigation.

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Source:  thewest.com.au      Date: 13 August 2018

A video has appeared on Facebook showing a Victorian truck driver having a "breakfast" of what appear to be illegal drugs in the cabin of a big rig.

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In the clip, the man — wearing a shirt bearing the logo of a Shepparton transport company — snorts a large line of white powder with a $10 note, after declaring: "This is going to be a big day."

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He then lights a pipe and inhales smoke from an unknown substance, before ending the recording, saying: "Well, that's breakfast."

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Source:  abc.net.au      Date: 26 July 2018