The Conversation

As drug deaths rise in rural Australia, we must do more to prevent overdoses

Author: Katinka van de Ven, Senior Lecturer, Centre for Rural Criminology, HASSE, University of New England & Visiting Fellow, Drug Policy Modelling Program, SPRC, University of New South Wales, University of New England

Drug-related deaths in rural areas rose by 41% since 2008.Shuang Li/Shutterstock

Rural Australians are more likely than their city counterparts to drink alcohol at harmful levels. They’re also higher consumers of cannabis, ice and the prescription opioids oxycodone and fentanyl.

Drug-related deaths are also rising more rapidly in rural...

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