Drug overdose deaths spark calls for national action

Drug overdose deaths spark calls for national action

There's calls for a national strategy to help prevent fatal drug overdoses with a report revealing they continue to outstrip deaths on Australia's roads.

More older people dying from drug overdoses - Aged Care Insite

When we talk about drug overdose deaths, many of us imagine a problem that affects young people. But new data from Australia’s Annual Overdose Report, published on Sunday, reveals a significant jump in the number of older adults dying from an overdose, compared to two decades ago. Since 2001, unintentional overdose deaths have declined by about one-third among people under 30. But deaths in those aged 50–59 have increased three-fold. Among 60–69…

Overdose deaths a ‘national calamity’

The number of unintentional drug-induced deaths in Australia is higher than the road toll, with Geelong overdose numbers climbing significantly faster than the national average. Independent drug policy research non-profit Penington Institute released Australia’s Annual Overdose Report 2025 this week, revealing a number of alarming trends in Australia and the Geelong region. Between 2019 and 2023, Geelong recorded 103 unintentional overdose death…