Why Test?

Methamphetamine use (manufacturing or prolonged smoking of the drug ‘ice’) inside buildings lead to contamination of all surfaces. Exposure to this meth contamination can lead to many health risks, such as respiratory problems, headaches, nausea & even behavioural changes in small children. Long term exposure has been shown to lead to miscarriage, birth defects and even cancer. 

WA has the highest meth use of all states in Australia.  This jaw dropping fact revealed by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission Illicit Drug Data Report in 2016-17. The most common residue is from smoking methylamphetamine also known as ice, meth or crystal meth. 

Residues build up on surfaces in the house and are not visible. This residue also has no no chemical odour or smell. In other words, meth contamination is a silent and invisible risk.

It is important to be proactive about ensuring the safety of your family when leasing a house.

It is also important to make sure you are legally covered if your landlord or property manager subsequently performs a meth inspection (after you move out) where meth is detected. The truth is, meth use and manufacturing is common in Perth, so anyone leasing the house after you could be the culprit. Inexpensive meth testing Perth simply removes any legal liability from your family which also ensures your bond is returned.

There are two main reasons why landlords and property managers need meth testing Perth:

1) With meth use and manufacturing on the rise across Australia, but particularly in Perth, buyers, tenants and investors are asking for clear meth inspections before buying or renting.

Where does that leave your property if you have not provided a clear meth inspection report to your prospective buyers/tenants?

Simply put, a meth inspection is the cheapest way to increase your property value.

2) Did you know that if you sell or rent out your property, as a landlord or property manager, you are responsible for ensuring it is safe to live in. Unacceptable levels of methamphetamine residue meansyou could face legal action from tenants, new owners and even neighbours.

Allowing a contaminated home to be occupied, whether you aware of the contamination or not, breaches the Residential Tenancies Act (duty of care) legislation in each state or even contravene building and health legislation, leaving the landlord exposed to legal action and claims for compensation.

Additionally, and importantly, landlord insurance simply does not cover remediation of drug contamination (criminal activities), which means you as the landlord need to pay out of your own pocket to remediate the contamination which usually ranges anywhere from $4000 – $50,000.

Methamphetamine (meth) is an addictive stimulant drug that is one of the most commonly used recreational drugs in Australia and abroad. Stimulants speed up the messages travelling between the body and the brain, giving a person common effects such as confidence, energy, reduced appetite and increased heart rate.

Illegally produced methamphetamines have street names such as ‘speed’ and ‘ice’. The key difference between speed and ice is the purity: ice is generally in the form of crystals and has a higher purity than speed, meaning the effects of ice are much stronger.

The form of methamphetamine that is most commonly used in Australia is crystal methamphetamine (‘ice’).

The health risks associated with methamphetamine contamination are highest for children who live in these environments, when compared to adults. Children’s metabolic processes are more susceptible to the effects of chemicals/ drugs than adults. The most common symptoms to meth exposure include headache, nausea, vomiting, respiratory difficulty and eye irritation.

The most common symptoms to meth exposure include headache, nausea, vomiting, respiratory difficulty and eye irritation.

Remediation of properties where methamphetamine has only been used recreationally is generally not required, as the research does not demonstrate a health risk. Properties where meth has been manufactured pose a health risk to people living in those properties, with the highest health risk amongst children.

The only way to understand the risk is to perform a meth inspection.

For the first time since 2017, meth’s popularity in capital cities across Australia has outpaced its use in regional centres around the country. In Perth, it’s rampant. In a recent ABC news report on meth use in Perth, an investigation uncovered that “Perth is the new meth capital of Australia”.

Additionally, Australia has topped the list of methylamphetamine use among more than 20 countries. The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission’s latest report found that in December 2021, methylamphetamine consumption in Australia was the highest per capita when compared with nations in Europe, Asia and Oceania.

Yes.

A recent study into the impact of meth on pregnancy outomes uncovered methylamphetamine crosses the placental barrier and adversely impacts the developing foetus.

Further, this study concluded that Meth exposure during pregnancy is associated with shorter gestational ages and lower birth weight, especially if exposed continuously during pregnancy.