The use of the drug methamphetamine, also known as ice, is dramatically increasing in Queensland, new figures show.
The Salvation Army, which runs treatment centres, said there had been an 88 per cent increase of people treated at their recovery centre in Townsville in the past year.
Brisbane saw a 40 per cent rise.
In a report released today, the Salvation Army said amphetamine-type substance usage was now higher than the overall usage of cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine and gambling dependence combined.
Those presenting with alcohol as a problem was decreasing, however it was still the dominant addiction.
Amphetamine users are presenting Salvation Army staff with new challenges.
The Salvos said they were seeing more people with mental health problems and mood swings.
Some 30 years ago about 33 per cent of people presented with mental health issues – that has risen to 71 per cent.
The report also found those addicted to drug, alcohol and gambling were getting younger all the time.
The Salvation Army’s Major Graham Tamsett said 50 years ago, most clients would have been 50- to 70-year-old males with an alcohol issue.
“These days they’re about a 30-year-old, young men and women, with drug problems,” he said.
“But we certainly have all the time, 18-year-olds, who’ve entered a long-term program for addiction issues, at that age.”
The Salvation Army’s Claire Twivey said ice was readily available in north Queensland, which could be part of the reason for the spike in the city.
“I guess it all depends on location. Down in Sydney some other drugs would be more common, such as heroin,” she said.
“Up here in the more regional cities it seems that amphetamines are a lot higher.”