August 31, 2008 12:00am VICTORIA is facing a new illicit drugs crisis as use of heroin, amphetamines and cannabis soars.
Data from the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine released this week show drug use rising dramatically.
Experts at the institute say the epidemic is a "social time bomb" that will have costly consequences for Victoria in the next decade.
Statistics from the state's world-first drug-drive testing program shows an increase in drivers affected by amphetamines and cannabis.
Fifteen per cent of drivers killed in road accidents tested positive to cannabis and almost 8 per cent to stimulants such as amphetamines and pseudoephedrine - figures that have tripled since 2003.
Recent tests showed one in 50 drivers randomly tested were found to have illegal drugs in their system.
And heroin overdose deaths have increased, with 80 this year so far. There were 72 in all of 2007.
The latest was a 40-year-old woman who died in Sunshine on Thursday.
A separate study at The Alfred hospital shows more than a quarter of people admitted on weekends tested positive to the party drug GHB.
Institute manager of toxicology Dr Dimitri Gerostamoulos said: "Cannabis and amphetamines are the most popular illicit drugs and more and more people are using them and then deciding to drive."
Dr Gerostamoulos said the long-term effects of amphetamine use were as significant as heroin.
"They cause changes to the cardio-vascular system - with heart dysfunction, mental function is impaired with changes to the chemical structure of the brain. You get psychosis and early dementia," he said.
He said increased use of amphetamines and cannabis was "a social time bomb".
"In 10 years we will see real society-wide problems.
"We could see many more dysfunctional people and families, the health system stretched by chronic mental problems and an increase in people with chronic and expensive-to-treat heart problems."
Youth worker Les Twentyman said the impact of a flood of unusually pure heroin had become apparent in recent weeks.
"Heroin had gone off the radar since the late 90s, but it's returned with a vengeance."
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