Cocaine detections continue to rise in Australian workplaces / ATS up 21.4% YoY
Cocaine and stimulant use highlight growing workplace drug risk – Imperans Q3 Report, State of Workplace Drug Use from TDDA
MELBOURNE, Australia, 14 October 2026 – Cocaine and amphetamine-type stimulant (ATS) detections continue to present a significant workplace safety concern across Australia, with the latest Imperans Report from The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA) showing an overall increase in workplace drug detections in the third quarter of 2026.
The quarterly Imperans Report provides Australian employers with insight into workplace drug and alcohol trends, combining testing and screening data from across TDDA’s network to help businesses better understand and proactively manage workplace safety risks.
National Snapshot
In Q3 2026, 3.4% of all screens conducted by TDDA across Australia indicated the presence of drugs, up from 3.0% in Q2 2026 and 3.1% in Q3 2025.
Among positive results across Australia, year-on-year substance detections were:
- Cocaine: 9.2% of positive tests, up 7.4% YoY
- ATS, including methamphetamine: 64.8% of positive tests, up 21.4% YoY
- THC (Cannabis): 40.2% of positive tests, down 13.2% YoY
- Opioids: 12.7% of positive tests, down 20.2% YoY
Cocaine remains a growing concern
Cocaine accounted for 9.2% of positive tests in Q3 2026, up from 8.6% in the same quarter last year and 8.0% in Q2 2026.
The increase continues a concerning trend for Australian employers, particularly as cocaine use can create significant risks in safety-sensitive environments where impaired judgement, risk perception and decision-making can have serious consequences.
“Our latest Imperans data shows that cocaine continues to move in the wrong direction in Australian workplaces. While the increase is not as dramatic as some of the movements we are seeing internationally, the ongoing upward trend is something employers should not ignore,” says Glenn Dobson, Chief Executive of TDDA.
“Cocaine can affect judgement, risk perception and decision-making, creating misplaced confidence at exactly the wrong time. On a construction site, behind the wheel or around machinery, those effects can have serious consequences. And as we move towards the end-of-year period, when workplace functions and social events increase, it is important that organisations remain focused on safety.”
ATS and methamphetamine remain the dominant concern
ATS, including methamphetamine, accounted for 64.8% of positive tests in Q3 2026, up from 53.4% in Q3 2025 — an increase of 21.4% year-on-year.
ATS also increased from 60.0% in Q2 2026, highlighting the continued significance of amphetamine-type stimulants within Australia’s workplace drug-testing results.
While cannabis remains a significant component of positive results, its proportion decreased year-on-year, falling from 46.4% in Q3 2025 to 40.2% in Q3 2026.
Opioid detections also declined year-on-year, from 16.0% to 12.7%.
Regional trends
TDDA tracks regional fluctuations in substance use to help employers better understand workplace risks and determine where targeted testing, education and early intervention may be appropriate.
Cocaine
Cocaine detections increased year-on-year in several Australian states:
- New South Wales: 18.0% of positive screens, up 41.0% YoY
- Queensland: 9.9% of positive screens, up 110.9% YoY
- Victoria: 10.3% of positive screens, up 8.0% vs previous Qtr
- Western Australia: 2.7% of positive screens, up 11.3% YoY
ATS
ATS detections showed stronger regional movements, particularly in Victoria and Western Australia:
- Victoria: up 24.7% YoY
- Western Australia: up 30.1% YoY
- New South Wales: down 1.3% YoY
- Queensland: down 3.1% YoY
- South Australia: down 20.0% YoY
Full regional stats (graphs) can be found here.
Recommendations
With workplace drug detections increasing nationally, TDDA is encouraging Australian employers to review their workplace drug and alcohol policies and ensure their testing, education and response processes remain fit for purpose.
“The end of the year is a good opportunity for employers to step back and review their health and safety systems. A comprehensive drug and alcohol policy should be supported by clear procedures, appropriate testing and education that gives managers and employees the knowledge to recognise and respond to potential risks,” says Dobson.
TDDA recommends employers consider the types and frequency of testing they undertake, including the use of random testing programmes where appropriate.
Education is also an important part of workplace risk management, helping supervisors and managers recognise potential signs of impairment and understand when further action may be required.
Testing provides an important foundation, but education and clear workplace processes help ensure organisations know what to do when a risk is identified.
“At TDDA, our mission is what we call the Girl on the Bike. The truck, the commuter car, the construction site she rides past — every one of them is part of getting her home safely. That is what we are protecting,” says Dobson.
Methodology
Tests from 19 sterile clinic locations and over 50 mobile clinics throughout Australia were used. All tests were taken between 1 July 2026 and 30 September 2026. Data from pre-employment, post-incident, regular and random testing has been combined. Testing methods included urine and oral fluid screening. Data is reported into, anonymised, and aggregated using TDDA’s Imperans system, a bespoke IT platform for testing services, data recording, and reporting. It represents a snapshot of drug trends across
Australian workplaces and industries. Total figures on testing volumes or testing results by industry and region are commercially sensitive. TDDA drug tests screen for amphetamines; benzodiazepines; cocaine; methamphetamine; opiates and opioids; Cannabis; and synthetic drugs.
ENDS
For more information, or to speak with a TDDA spokesperson, please contact:
Richelle Gillett, Giant Squid Inc
0418 781 610 rg@giantsquidinc.com.au
About the Imperans Report
The Imperans report addresses an information gap for business. Government organisations like Safe Work Australia and state regulators such as WorkSafe Victoria and SafeWork NSW, publish incident reports, but they do not quantify when substances are a factor. Reports build businesses’ understanding of substance use patterns regionally and temporally so that they can anticipate and reduce workplace risks. TDDA provides over 250,000 tests every year.
About The Drug Detection Agency
The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA) is a leader in workplace substance testing with more than 300 staff, 90 mobile health clinics, 65 locations throughout Australasia. TDDA was established in 2005 to provide Australian and New Zealand businesses with end-to-end workplace substance testing, education and policy services. TDDA holds ISO17025 accreditation for workplace substance testing in both AU and NZ. Refer to the IANZ and NATA websites for TDDA’s full accreditation details. As members of the National Drug and Alcohol Screening Association (NDASA) and the California Narcotic Officers Association (CNOA), TDDA closely follows and acts on global drug trends. Learn more about TDDA by visiting https://tdda.com/.