Australia recorded its deadliest year on record for drug overdoses, according to a new analysis, with an average of seven deaths per day.
In a preview of the Penington Institute’s annual overdose report, there were nearly 2,600 overdose fatalities in 2024.
For the first time ever, people in the 50-59 age group recorded the highest number of unintentional overdose deaths, up from 448 fatalities in 2023 to 533 in 2024.
“The majority of them are men, the majority of them are middle-aged,” Scientia Professor Ritter said.
This is terribly tragic.
we need to rethink how we help people with drug problems
we can start by asking drug users what they need to make their better and safer