Methamphetamine-related harms are substantial and continue to rise, with overdose deaths, hospitalisations and consumption at record levels in Australia, say researchers from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), UNSW Sydney.
In 2024, there were 753 overdose deaths involving amphetamine-type stimulants (primarily methamphetamine), or a rate of 2.9 deaths per 100,000 people, which is substantially higher than in previous years.
There were also nearly 14,000 hospitalisations due to methamphetamine use in 2023-24, which represents 24% of all drug-related hospitalisations in that reporting period.
NDARC researchers led by Associate Professor Amy Peacock said the continuation of concerning pre-COVID-19 patterns of rising harms was driven by both increased global supply and strong local demand for the illicit drug.
“While the extent of methamphetamine use can be difficult to calculate, available evidence suggests Australia still has one of the highest recorded rates in the world,” said A/Prof Peacock, who leads NDARC’s Drug Trends Program.
“Methamphetamine remains the most commonly reported drug last injected among people attending needle and syringe programs, and its use is increasingly concentrated in the more potent crystal form among people who inject drugs.
“Wastewater drug monitoring analysis also shows record levels of consumption in 2024-25 across all states and territories – an estimated 15.8 tonnes was detected – but was particularly elevated in regional areas.”
The findings are highlighted in a new report that brings together coronial and hospital data, population surveys and interviews with people who use illicit drugs, and seizure and wastewater analysis from law enforcement agencies.
In addition to the record-high deaths and hospitalisations, the team also point out that the burden of methamphetamine-related harms had steadily shifted to older age groups.
For instance, people aged 15-24 years accounted for one in eight overdose deaths from amphetamine-type stimulants in 2005, compared to just 5% in 2024.
“At the same time, mortality rates have increased among those in the 25-34 years, 35-44 years and 45-54 years age groups,” A/Prof Peacock said.
“Prior research using coronial data has shown that clinically significant cardiovascular pathology is common in methamphetamine-related deaths, even where cardiovascular disease is not the immediate cause of death.
“This means that as the population of people who use methamphetamine ages, cardiovascular and other chronic health conditions may become increasingly important considerations in prevention, treatment and clinical care.”
Other findings in the report include:
- Over 16 tonnes of methamphetamine were reported as seized by authorities in Australia in 2024, which is significantly higher than national seizures reported in previous years.
- Following a brief decline in 2021-22, methamphetamine-related hospitalisations increased to a rate of 53 per 100,000 people in 2023-24.
- Interviews with people who regularly use drugs show that the powder form of methamphetamine (also known as speed) had dropped in popularity, while use of the crystal form, or “ice”, had increased.
A/Prof Peacock said there was an urgent need for a strong, coordinated response spanning prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and ongoing monitoring to combat the issue.
“Priorities include improving understanding of methamphetamine use and treatment need, improving access to timely and effective care, and ensuring our responses reflect the increasingly complex needs of people who use methamphetamine,” she said.
“Harm reduction responses should also address polysubstance toxicity and misrepresented substances through accessible drug checking, timely drug alerts, and take-home naloxone.”
ENDS
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