title: Monitoring drug markets in the Internet age and the evolution of drug monitoring systems in Australia.
abstract: In Australia, drug monitoring systems have been in place for more than a decade allowing for the measurement of ongoing trends in drug use and the detection of new drugs. The Drug Trends Unit at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre monitors drugs through four separate systems. The Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS) measures the price, purity, and availability of drugs that are primarily injected. The Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System (EDRS) monitors psychostimulants that are used recreationally. The National Illicit Drugs Indicator Project (NIDIP) analyzes indicator data including drug-related hospitalizations and deaths. Finally, the Drugs and Emerging Technologies Project (DNeT) analyzes the role of the Internet in the procurement and use of novel psychoactive substances. This paper provides an overview of each component of the system, demonstrating how the system has evolved over time.
authors.affiliation: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW, NSW, 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roxburgh
authors.forename: Raimondo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Buskirk
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D064423:Drug Trafficking; D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D020407:Internet; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs
keywords: Internet; ecstasy; new psychoactive substances