More than 2,596 Australians died from drug-induced causes in 2024, the highest number ever recorded, with older age groups now making up the largest share of victims and experts warning the crisis is entering a deeply troubling new chapter.
The figures come from the Australia's Annual Overdose Report, released by the Penington Institute, which found that 80.5 per cent of those deaths were unintentional overdoses. The data also reveals that since 2008, more Australians have died from drug-induced causes than in road fatalities — with an average of 31 years of life lost per death.
"The data is quite confronting," said Jake Dizard, director of research at the Penington Institute.
Older Australians Now at the Centre of the Drug Overdose Crisis
One of the most significant findings in this year's report is a marked shift in who is dying. For the first time, Australians aged between 50 and 59 accounted for almost half of all unintentional overdose deaths — a dramatic demographic change that reflects a broader ageing trend among people who use drugs.
Dizard attributed the trend to "an ageing large cohort of people who started using drugs in the 1990s and early 2000s." As that generation has grown older, he said, they have become increasingly vulnerable due to the cumulative health effects of long-term drug use and the build-up of related medical conditions.
The report also recorded 428 drug-induced suicides, of which 39 per cent involved people aged 60 and over.
Australian Alcohol and Other Drugs Council CEO Melanie Walker said the findings make clear that overdose is not confined to any single demographic. "Overdose is something that affects the whole community," she said. "It affects young people. It also affects older people. Overdose can be from illicit drug use, or it can be from prescription drug use."
Which Drugs Are Driving the Deaths?
Opioids remain the leading cause, responsible for 42 per cent of all drug-induced deaths in 2024. Heroin-related fatalities have surged dramatically — from 101 deaths in 2001 to 488 deaths in 2024. Amphetamines were involved in 772 deaths, a record high for that drug category, while cocaine contributed to 141 deaths. Benzodiazepines, alcohol and antidepressants were also factors in deaths recorded across the year.
Dizard noted that the use of prescription opioids such as oxycodone has been declining since 2021, a trend reflected across several categories of prescription drugs. Cocaine was the only substance where the median age of those dying from overdose actually fell.
Stark Inequalities in Who Is Most at Risk
The report highlights significant disparities along gender, geographic and cultural lines. Men accounted for 72.7 per cent of unintentional drug-induced deaths. People in regional and rural areas died at higher rates than those in capital cities.
The gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is particularly stark. In 2024, Indigenous Australians experienced an overdose death rate of 29.3 per 100,000 people, compared with 6.6 per 100,000 for non-Indigenous Australians.
What Needs to Happen Next
Experts emphasise that the overwhelming majority of these deaths are preventable. The report puts forward a range of recommendations, with expanded access to naloxone — an opioid overdose reversal medicine — at the top of the list.
"It's an opioid overdose reversal drug, which is very safe and can be administered by anybody," Dizard said, adding that naloxone is important not only for habitual opioid users but also for people using other substances, including cocaine, which may be contaminated with opioids.
The report also calls for stronger community education on recognising and responding to signs of overdose, as well as greater investment in services — particularly opioid pharmacotherapy programs. Stigma, researchers note, continues to be a significant barrier preventing people from seeking help for drug and alcohol dependence, compounding an already severe public health challenge.
