Time for Change Survey and Report

42 OVERDOSE PREVENTION Government response to overdose mortalities There is very strong support (94.7% support/strongly support) for Australian governments to do more to respond to the growing number of drug-related overdose deaths. There were 2,231 drug-induced deaths reported in Australia in 2021. The vast majority of these deaths were unintentional. This equates, on average, to one Australian dying from a drug-related overdose every four hour s 24 . Support was consistently high among students and/or young people (96.4% support/strongly support), professionals (96.3%), people who use drugs (95.9%), family members of people who use drugs (95.6%), and friends of people who use drugs (95.0%; see Figure 18). Respondents who identified as a person who uses drugs or as a professional, or were a NSW resident, showed significantly higher support for an improved government response to overdose mortalities than other respondents. Figure 18. Support for governments doing more to respond to the growing number of drug- related overdose deaths in Australia Recommendation #17 We recommend that the Australian Federal Government leads the development of a National Overdose Prevention Sub-Strategy as a matter of urgency. 24 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2024) National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2022-23: Alcohol, tobacco & other drugs in Australia. Canberra: AIHW . Available here.