The Ecstasy and Related Drug Reporting System (EDRS) is a national drug monitoring system intended to identify emerging trends of local and national concern in illicit drug markets, and form part of Drug Trends.

In 2020, the Western Australian Ecstasy and related Drugs Reporting System (EDRS) report documented record highs in self-reported recent use of cocaine, ketamine, amyl nitrite (poppers) and nitrous oxide (nangs). While these substances are commonly perceived as relatively harmless ‘party drugs’, and are on the mid-lower end of harm ranking systems, use still carries risks.

The aim of this bulletin is to examine trends in self-reported use of these substances among sentinel cross-sectional samples of West Australians recruited for the EDRS who regularly use ecstasy/MDMA and other illicit stimulants. Specifically, it aims to investigate markers of increasing risk (e.g. increasing frequency of use) which may accompany increasing trends in reports of recent use. It also aims to investigate any accompanying market changes (e.g. increasing perceived availability).