ACT overdose deaths triple in decade

A report from the Penington Institute released on Tuesday found the ACT had 28 accidental overdose deaths in both 2016 and 2017 - the last years with data available.

Benzodiazepines - like Xanax - and stimulants - like the drug ice - are contributing to more than three times as many accidental overdoses as a decade ago, the report showed.

In the five years from 2013 to 2017, overdose deaths in the ACT increased 22 per cent.

There have been 113 deaths in that period with pharmaceutical opioids - like Endone - the leading cause with 32 deaths.

Heroin accounted for 30 accidental deaths, stimulants 25 and benzodiazepines for 26.

Nationally, accidental overdoses claimed the lives of 1,612 people in 2017, an increase of 38 per cent in 10 years.

For the first time, more unintentional overdose deaths were attributed to the presence of four or more substances than only a single drug, the report said.

Middle aged Australians were more likely to die from overdose, with Australians aged between 30 and 59 accounting for 72 per cent of accident drug overdose deaths.

Under 30s accounted for just 9.4 per cent, the report said.

CEO of Penington Institute John Ryan said overdose deaths must be treated as preventable.

"It's time to call this what it is: Australia's very own overdose crisis. The ACT is no exception." he said.

"Unintentional deaths where stimulants were detected have almost tripled in the ACT in the last decade, and they've almost tripled nationally in the last five years alone.

"That points to a problem that we're just not getting to grips with.

"The big increase in the number of deaths attributable to pharmaceutical opioids and benzodiazepines - depressant drugs like Diazepam and Temazepam - goes to show that the ACT, just like Australia as a whole, has a problem with legal as well as illegal drugs."

Mr Ryan said every overdose death carried an enormous economic and social cost.

"And the effect of overdose, particularly in smaller, tight-knit communities, is profound.

"Just one death creates a ripple effect that is felt for many years. We must treat overdose deaths as preventable.

"We know what works in saving lives and reducing the harms from overdose deaths. We're just not doing enough of it."

Deputy CEO of Penington Institute Stephen McNally said unintentional overdose deaths were not skewed as heavily toward lower socioeconomic areas as many other public health issues like smoking or obesity.

"Unintentional overdose affects Australians from all walks of life," Dr McNally said.