Every four hours, an Australian is lost to a preventable overdose, according to the annual Australian Overdose Report published by the Penington Institute.
Overdose has claimed the lives of more than 35,000 Australians since 2001. It is one of the leading causes of death for all ages and sexes, second only to suicide under the age of 30 and third after suicide and accidents of land transport for the 20 years.
“Overdose deaths continue to outpace the road toll,” said John Ryan, CEO of the Penington Institute.
“Yet, while Australia implements a National Road Safety Strategy, funds public education campaigns and has established a Road Safety Office, thousands of Australians continue to die of overdoses in virtual silence.
“This health crisis affects Australians of all ages, from all places. There is a misconception that overdose only kills the youngest; however, Australians over 40 accounted for more than two-thirds of deaths from overdose in 2020.
“Many also believe that illicit drugs are the main cause; however, pharmaceuticals continue to cause overdose deaths in Australia. Stimulants like ice are a growing concern, but overdose deaths related to this type of drug have increased tenfold in just the past two decades.
“Regardless of the substance, overdose remains a significant and growing burden on our nation’s health care system, putting unnecessary strain on already strained ambulance services. America’s opioid epidemic is the future of Australia, if we don’t act now.”
The Penington Institute is again calling for a national overdose prevention strategy in collaboration with leading experts and people with lived experience. Globally, the institute is driving broader social change to reduce stigma and end overdose through International Overdose Awareness Day, which is celebrated on August 31 each year.
“It is almost impossible to assess the true extent of this crisis, as investigations of overdose deaths take several years, with the most recent data from 2020. Shortening this lag would give us visibility into sudden changes in overdose patterns, allowing act in real time to manage overdose and efficiently track the impact of government initiatives,” said Ryan.
“We need government action, but we also need action within the community, the business sector and the media to reduce stigma and drive change. Without open discussion and collaboration, the stigma associated with overdose will continue obstructing any effort to change the dial on this insidious killer.”
Annual Overdose Report 2022: Key Findings
- 2220 Australians died from overdose in 2020*, three-quarters (1654) of which were unintentional.
- Since 2001, there have been more than 35,000 drug-induced deaths in Australia.
- This crisis is estimated to cost Australia approximately $16 billion annually, with each overdose equivalent to 33 years of potential life lost. That’s $650 for every Australian adult and child.
- Opioids were detected in 856 unintentional overdose deaths in 2020, while benzodiazepines (sedatives) were detected in 596 unintentional overdose deaths and stimulants (eg, ice) were found in 526 of those deaths.
- For Australians in their 30s, overdose was the second leading cause of death in 2020 behind only suicide, while for Australians in their 20s, overdose was the third leading cause of death behind suicide and land transport accidents.
- Australians over 40 accounted for more than two-thirds (68.3% or 1129 deaths) of all unintentional overdose deaths in 2020.
- Among Aboriginal Australians, the drug-induced unintentional death rate is much higher than that of non-Aboriginal Australians: 18.1 per 100,000 population in 2020, compared to 5.6 for non-Aboriginal people. Residents of rural and regional areas of the country are also overrepresented in these deaths, as are men.
- In the five years to 2020, more than half of all drug-induced unintentional deaths involved three or more types of drugs, and less than a third involved only one type of drug. Almost one in ten involved six or more different types of drugs.
- Opioids continue to be the most common drug involved in unintentional deaths, mostly due to heroin and oxycodone/morphine/codeine. The increase in fentanyl/pethidine/tramadol deaths over time is alarming, increasing 1275% since 2006. In 2020, fentanyl/pethidine/tramadol contributed to nearly one in five unintentional opioid deaths.
- The number of deaths from stimulants was higher in 2020 than in 2019; since the numbers will continue to rise as the data is finalized, the increase is likely to be substantial. Stimulant drug-induced unintentional deaths have increased tenfold in two decades, from 53 deaths in 2001 to 526 in 2020.
* 2020: In Australia, all suspected overdose deaths must be reported to a coroner. These investigations can sometimes take several years, so the most recent statistics available are from 2020.
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