Opioid deaths on rise

THE number of Australians dying after accidentally overdosing on prescription opioids such as oxycodone is on the rise.

New research shows a total of 1045 people died of an opioid overdose in 2016.

Three-quarters of those deaths were related to prescription opioids, the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre said. The number of accidental deaths from opioid use rose to 890 – up from 873 the year before. Accidental fatalities made up 85 per cent of the overall opioid deaths.