{
  "id": 146584,
  "title": "Rise in drug-related deaths and hospitalizations driven by stimulants",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/rise-in-drug-related-deaths-and-hospitalizations-driven-by-stimulants",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-04T19:40:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-drug-deaths-hospitalizations-driven.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In 2024, Australia witnessed a significant rise in drug-related deaths and hospitalizations, driven primarily by amphetamine-type stimulants and cocaine, according to new data from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Center (NDARC) at UNSW Sydney. The annual report reveals more than 2,000 drug-induced deaths, roughly 5.5 per day, and nearly 57,000 drug-related hospitalizations, averaging 156 per day. Associate Professor Amy Peacock, NDARC deputy director and Drug Trends program lead, highlighted that the increasing trends pose a major public health concern, emphasizing that methamphetamine-related harms are again on the rise alongside cocaine use.\n\nMethamphetamine-related harms have seen a resurgence, with Peacock stressing that this drug should not be considered a historical issue. The data, although preliminary, already show a 7.4% increase in the national age-standardized rate of drug-induced deaths between 2023 and 2024, reversing the downward trend that began in 2017. While opioids remain the leading drug class in overdose deaths, recent spikes have been fueled by a 29% increase in amphetamine-type stimulant deaths and a 40% rise in cocaine-related mortality.\n\nThe report also noted that amphetamine-type stimulants accounted for the majority of drug-related hospitalizations, with 29% of cases involving methamphetamine. The rate of hospitalizations from these substances increased by 24% compared to the previous year, and cocaine-related hospitalizations surged by 29%. Opioids, despite remaining the leading class in overdose deaths, saw a 7.4% increase in the national age-standardized rate of drug-induced deaths from 2023 to 2024.",
  "summary": "Drug-induced deaths and hospitalizations in Australia have risen, with the trend driven by increased harms from amphetamine-type stimulants and cocaine, new data show. The latest annual reporting by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Center (NDARC) at UNSW Sydney shows more than 2,000 deaths in 2024—about 5.5 deaths per day—from drug overdoses. Nearly 57,000 drug-related hospitalizations—or…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}