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This report presents the most recent and in-depth data on overdose and drug-induced deaths in Australia, covering the period 2002 to 2021. It is the most recent output in a series of annual publications on trends in drug overdose deaths issued by Drug Trends for over 20 years.Ìý

This publication includes: 

• Report
• Methods
• Infographics
• Executive Summary
• Appendix

Findings are reported by age, sex, jurisdiction, remoteness area, socio-economic status, intent, psychosocial risk factors, and drug type.  

Our public  allows viewers to disaggregate data in different ways, and to download these images for their own use.Ìý

Jurisdictional summary reports 

Detailed analyses of deaths by jurisdiction (including by sex, age, intent, remoteness area, drug type and place of occurrence) are available at the end of this report.  

For a summary of findings on trends in overdose and other drug-induced deaths for each jurisdiction, please see the full report or go to the jurisdictional summary reports: 

• Australian Capital Territory
• New South Wales 
• Northern Territory 
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• South Australia 
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• Western Australia 

Recommended citation: Chrzanowska A, Man N, Akhurst J, Sutherland R, Degenhardt L, Peacock A. Trends in overdose and other drug-induced deaths in Australia, 2002-2021. Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney; 2023. Available from: 

This report was prepared by researchers from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre for the Drug Trends program. The Drug Trends program is coordinated by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney and undertaken in partnership with the Burnet Institute, National Drug Research Institute, University of Queensland, and the University of Tasmania.Ìý

This work is copyright. You may download, display, print and reproduce this material in unaltered form only (retaining this notice) for your personal, non-commercial use or use within your organisation. All other rights are reserved. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to NDARC, UNSW Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.Ìý

Please contact the Drug Trends team with any queries regarding this publication: drugtrends@unsw.edu.au.Ìý

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The Drug Trends program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care under the Drug and Alcohol Program.Ìý

Data source 

We acknowledge all state and territory Registries of Births, Deaths and Marriages, the Coroners and the National Coronial Information System (NCIS) for enabling Cause of Death Unit Record File (COD URF) data to be used for this publication.Ìý

Download PDFs

• NIDIP_Drug induced deaths_2002-2021_Report.pdf
• NIDIP_Drug induced deaths_2002-2021_Methods.pdf
• NIDIP_Drug induced deaths_2002-2021_Infographics.pdf
• NIDIP_Drug induced deaths_2002-2021_Executive Summary.pdf
• NIDIP_Drug induced deaths_2002-2021_Appendix.pdf