SYDNEY, Australia: Methamphetamine-related deaths, hospitalisations and consumption in Australia have reached record levels, with researchers warning that harms from the illicit drug continue to rise, according to a report released today, Xinhua reported.
There were 753 overdose deaths involving amphetamine-type stimulants, primarily methamphetamine, in 2024, or a rate of 2.9 deaths per 100,000 people.
The rate was substantially higher than in previous years, according to a report released by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC).
Nearly 14,000 hospitalisations were due to methamphetamine use in 2023-24, accounting for 24 per cent of all drug-related hospitalisations, the report said.
Wastewater drug monitoring showed an estimated 15.8 tonnes of methamphetamine were consumed across Australia in 2024-25, the highest level recorded.
Consumption was particularly elevated in regional areas, said Associate Professor Amy Peacock, who leads NDARC’s drug trends programme.
The rising harms were driven by increased global supply and strong local demand for the illicit drug, Peacock said.
The burden of methamphetamine-related harms has also shifted towards older age groups.
People aged 15-24 accounted for five per cent of amphetamine-type stimulant overdose deaths in 2024, down from one in eight in 2005, while mortality rates increased among people aged 25-54, she said.
The report also found that Australian authorities seized more than 16 tonnes of methamphetamine in 2024, significantly more than in previous years.
It called for coordinated efforts on prevention, harm reduction, treatment and monitoring. – BERNAMA-XINHUA
