The Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS) monitors trends in the illicit drug market in Australia. The IDRS was implemented nationally in Australia, following a successful pilot study in Sydney in 1996 (Hando, O'Brien, Darke et al., 1997) and trials in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia in 1997 (Hando and Darke, 1998). In the year 2000, the IDRS study was carried out in all Australian states and territories, with each jurisdiction conducting a survey with people who inject drugs (PWID), interviewing key experts (KE) and incorporating routinely collected indicator data from secondary sources. The IDRS is conducted annually in each Australian state and territory.

The IDRS triangulates three forms of data: (a) a survey of approximately 100 PWID; (b) interviews with KE, with expert knowledge of drug markets; and (c) indicator data sources relating to illicit drug trends in South Australia.

The 2013 South Australian Drug Trends Report summarises information collected by the SA component of the national IDRS. The results are summarised by drug type in tables designed to provide the reader with a ‘snapshot’ overview of drug trends in SA.