People who use drugs are trying to stay safe in a politicised world, our surveys show

People who use drugs are increasingly trying to reduce harm – by obtaining the life-saving drug naloxone and testing their drugs – according to new data.

But they’re doing this in an always risky and unpredictable environment, where access to some harm-reduction services, such as drug testing, is limited or politicised.

These are some of the key take-home messages from annual survey data released today.

Here’s what else we and our colleagues found after speaking with hundreds of Australians who use drugs.

Each year, researchers from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at UNSW Sydney, and partner organisations, speak with hundreds of people across Australia who use illegal or non-prescribed drugs.

These surveys form a key part of two long-running national studies, one focusing on people who use ecstasy and other stimulants, the other on people who inject drugs.

Naloxone access up …

The Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System surveyed 690 people who regularly use ecstasy and other stimulants, such as cocaine and methamphetamine, across all Australian capital cities.

Overall, patterns of drug use and market indicators – such as perceived availability and price of drugs – were relatively stable compared to 2024.

However, these surveys only capture substances people intended to use – that is, what they believed they were buying and taking. We cannot monitor when people unknowingly take adulterated substances.

Drug alerts have detected potent synthetic opioids, such as nitazenes in drugs sold as MDMA, ketamine and cocaine. These substances can cause overdose even in very small amounts, and people who use stimulants may not realise they’re at risk.

That’s why it’s so encouraging to see an increase in awareness and uptake of naloxone – a medication available without a prescription that can reverse opioid overdoses.

Among people who use ecstasy and other stimulants, 73% had heard of naloxone (up from 63% in 2024). Some 19% had obtained it in the past year – a significant jump from just 6% the year before.

You can search an online version of this map to find out where you can access naloxone in Australia. You can also access the full list of drug alerts issued in Australia.