SYDNEY, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Methamphetamine-related deaths, hospitalizations 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 Friday.
There were 753 overdose deaths involving amphetamine-type stimulants, primarily methamphetamine, in 2024, or a rate of 2.9 deaths per 100,000 people, which is substantially higher than in previous years, said the report released by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Center (NDARC).
Nearly 14,000 hospitalizations were due to methamphetamine use in 2023-24, accounting for 24 percent of all drug-related hospitalizations, the report said.
Wastewater drug monitoring showed an estimated 15.8 tonnes of methamphetamine was consumed across Australia in 2024-25, the highest level recorded, with consumption particularly elevated in regional areas, said Associate Professor Amy Peacock, who leads NDARC's drug trends program.
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 toward older age groups. People aged 15-24 accounted for 5 percent 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 more than 16 tonnes of methamphetamine was seized by Australian authorities in 2024, significantly higher than in previous years, and called for coordinated efforts on prevention, harm reduction, treatment and monitoring. ■