Victorian Coroner finds overdose deaths have reached new decade high
- ACV Admin
- Aug 19
- 1 min read
The Coroners Court of Victoria’s recent Victorian Overdose Deaths 2015–2024 report reveals that in 2024, a total of 584 Victorians died from overdose, up from 547 in 2023 and 552 in 2022. This marks the highest annual overdose death toll in a decade, equating to roughly one death every 15 hours.
Notably, while the data shows a steep increase in lethal illicit drug involvement and persistent multi-drug toxicity, it also shows alcohol remains a significant public health concern. Indeed, alcohol consistently accounts for nearly a quarter of overdose deaths, which have experienced an almost 32% increase in 2024 compared to 2015 (despite Victoria’s population only increasing by about 17% over the same period).
