The Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS) has been conducted annually since 2000. The IDRS is a national drug monitoring system, designed to identify and track emerging trends of local and national concern in illicit drug use and markets. The IDRS forms part of the broader Drug Trends program.

Overdose helplines are used in North America to prevent overdose deaths among people who use drugs alone. With Australia’s first overdose helpline proposed for Victoria, this bulletin explores the acceptability and perspectives on overdose helpline design features in a sample of people who inject drugs recruited from Australian capital cities as part of the 2025 IDRS. Participants were asked if they would use an overdose helpline (defined as confidential services designed to prevent death if someone overdoses while using alone; response options: ‘no’, ‘yes’, ‘unsure’). Those reporting ‘yes’ or ‘unsure’ were asked about access and service preferences; those who reported ‘no’ or ‘unsure’ were asked why not.

Key findings

• Around half of participants (53%) said they would use an overdose helpline; 6% were unsure.
• Acceptability varied between jurisdictions.
• Among those who would or were unsure about using the service (n=487), most (78%) preferred access via a free-call telephone line, and 42% did not mind who staffed the helpline provided they were trained.
• The most endorsed first-responder preferences were ‘ambulance’ (73%) and ‘friend, partner or neighbour’ (29%).
• Among those unsure or unwilling to use the helpline (n=386), the main reasons were believing they were not at risk of an overdose (53%) and not using drugs alone (16%).

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Discussion

Findings suggest that although overdose helplines are broadly acceptable to people who inject drugs in Australia, there are considerable jurisdictional differences and barriers to uptake that warrant further exploration. Participant perspectives regarding design features and reasons against helpline use can inform the design, implementation and uptake of overdose helplines in Australia.

Recommended citation

Curtis M, Stewart A, Sutherland R, Park J, Wison J, Curran J, Petrovic B & Dietze P. Acceptability of overdose helplines among people who inject drugs in Australia, 2025. Drug Trends Bulletin Series. Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney; 2026. Available from: https://doi.org/10.26190/unsworks/32386

Funding and copyright

Drug Trends is supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing under the Drug and Alcohol Program.

©NDARC, UNSW SYDNEY 2026 

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• Acceptability of overdose helplines among people who inject drugs in Australia, 2025

Contact

For further information, contact Michael Curtis at Michael.Curtis@curtin.edu.au