Australia's annual overdose report 2026
1 October 2026
The 2026 edition of Australia's Annual Overdose Report reveals that overdose is at the highest rate recorded in Australia, claiming the lives of 7 Australians every day.
- Drug-induced deaths reached the highest level on record in 2024 (2,596 deaths). This represents a 10.7% increase from the 2,345 deaths in 2023.
- In 2024, the number of drug-induced deaths (2,596) was just under twice the number of road traffic deaths (1,307).
- In 2024, all drug-induced deaths accounted for 76,887 years of potential life lost, the equivalent of 31 years per person.
- For all drug-induced deaths, the most common drugs involved were opioids (1,083), stimulants (843), and benzodiazepines (696).