Calls for action after spike in GHB-related ambulance call-outs among young Australians

News.com.au

3 days ago

Monash University has reported a worrying increase in GHB usage among young people in Australia, particularly across Victoria and Tasmania, indicating a worrying trend as the cost-of-living crunch continues to cripple the nation.
In conjunction with Turning Point, a report from Monash University revealed a startling spike in GHB-related ambulance call-outs among Australians aged between 25 and 34 in the past three years.
Gamma-hydroxybutyrate, better known as GHB, is a party drug that was originally intended as an anaesthetic, targeting the central nervous system and causing feelings of distress, confusion, vomiting and blackouts.
Frequently presented as a tasteless and odourless liquid, it's commonly used in drink spiking and, due to its high dosage and undetectable nature, can be fatal.
Turning Point National Addiction and Mental Health Surveillance Unit strategic lead and Monash University researcher Rowan Ogeil said it would only take a small amount of the drug to lead to an overdose.
'The difference between the amount to reach the desired effect and an overdose can be very small,' he said.
'Our research team has previously shown that this leads to high rates of overdose or loss of consciousness in GHB users.'
According to the study, there has been a 67 per cent increase in GHB-related ambulance call-outs in Victoria between 2022 and 2023.
While areas in Melbourne such as the Stonnington and Yarra regions – which are home to Chapel St and its stretch of nightclubs – have some of the highest rates of GHB-related ambulance call-outs, Geelong now accounts for 31 per cent of all GHB-related ambulance attendances.
The study found the number of GHB-related ambulance call-outs had increased tenfold in the span of five years across Geelong, expanding from 20 incidents in 2018 to 200 in 2023.
GHB-related ambulance call-outs also spiked in Tasmania, with the Apple Isle reporting a 346 per cent increase between 2022 and 2023.
Dr Ogeil added that young people were largely the subjects of the call-outs.
'Our research has found that it is young people who are most affected,' he told NewsWire.
'In our study, people under 30 were more likely to require emergency help from paramedics following GHB use.'
As the cost-of-living crisis continues to ravage the country, an increasing number of young Australians are finding cheaper ways to enjoy themselves on a night out.
According to Drinkwise, 65 per cent of Gen Z want to drink less alcohol, with almost 23 per cent choosing to stay away from the bottle altogether.
However, young Australians are also more likely to partake in casual party drugs than other generations, according to the Australian Alcohol and Drug Foundation.
Uncover Mental Health Counselling founder and psychotherapist Kristie Tse said there were many reasons young people were turning away from alcohol and towards party drugs, including anxiety triggered by rising costs.
'One of the biggest drivers is the desire to escape or cope with stress, which has been exacerbated by rising financial pressures and uncertainty about the future,' she said.
'The cost of living plays into this, as financial strain can lead to heightened anxiety and a need for relief, which some may seek through substance use.'
Penny-pinching partygoers may be turning away from alcohol and heading to cheaper – and in many cases, more dangerous – methods for a night out on the town.
'However, the risks are significant, and what often starts as a way to momentarily escape or enhance an experience can spiral into dependency or harm,' Ms Tse warned.
One Touch finance founder Maria Rosey said the cost-of-living crisis may be driving young people toward alternative ways of seeking a 'buzz'.
'As money stress becomes more common, so does the acceptance of substances as coping mechanisms,' she said.
'This normalisation happens through social media, peer groups, and cultural messaging that frames substance use as a reasonable response to unreasonable circumstances.
'The increase in GHB use during the money crisis shows us that substance use problems can't be solved by focusing only on the substances themselves.
'We need to address the conditions that make people turn to substances in the first place.'
Better knowledge of drug safety can also be found prominently on social media, which Ms Rosey said may sway younger generations towards swapping out drinks for party drugs, including GHB.
'This generation has grown up with easy access to information about substances through the internet,' she told NewsWire.
'They know way more about dosages, drug interactions, and staying safe than older generations did. This knowledge makes them feel safer and more in control, but that feeling might be false.'
Despite young people having better information at their disposal, Dr Ogeil said the increase in GHB-related ambulance calls signified a lack of harm-reduction services.
'These patterns show us where and when people need support most,' he said.
'Rather than waiting for emergency situations, we need accessible harm-reduction services that can engage with people before harms escalate.'