Secret dangers of GHB exposed as emergency calls rise nationwide in Australia

Recent studies have shown a significant rise in emergency calls related to GHB throughout Australia, with Victoria experiencing the greatest number of incidents and Greater Geelong standing out as a key area for such cases.

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Based on information from the pioneering National Ambulance Surveillance System (NASS), scientists from Monash University and Turning Point discovered that incidents involving GHB led to a significant rise in emergency service calls throughout various regions of Australia.

Victoria experienced a 67% rise an increase from 2,211 to 3,693 GHB-related emergency responses between 2022 and 2023, whereas Tasmania experienced a 346% increase Victoria had the highest attendance rate of 65.8 per 100,000 residents, with the most visits occurring among individuals between the ages of 25 and 34.

In a new study published in Drug and Alcohol Review, Researchers additionally discovered that Greater Geelong has become a key area within the region, placing fourth among all local government areas (LGAs) across the state for GHB-related emergency responses from January 2015 to March 2024.

Geelong made up 31% of all GHB-related emergency responses occurring beyond metropolitan Melbourne and outperformed local government areas within the city, like Stonnington and Yarra, which have large numbers of clubs and bars—areas typically linked to GHB consumption.

Scientists discovered that emergency calls related to GHB in Greater Geelong rose over ten times within five years, increasing from under 20 incidents in 2018 to 200 in 2023.

Dr. Rowan Ogeil, the lead senior author of the research paper, who serves as the Strategic Head of the Turning Point National Addiction and Mental Health Surveillance Unit and is also a Senior Research Fellow at Monash University, stated that the findings back up recent accounts from emergency room personnel in Geelong regarding an increase in GHB-related cases.

"Local communities frequently face restricted availability of specialized alcohol, drug-related, and other healthcare and support services, which means emergency medical response might be the sole assistance accessible," he stated.

A recent study revealed that visits in regional Victoria had a 31% higher chance of resulting in more serious consequences than those occurring in urban regions.

Dr. Ogeil stated that individuals using GHB are at greater risk of severe consequences because the drug has an extremely narrow difference between the desired effect and a potentially fatal dose.

" The gap between achieving the intended outcome and administering too much can be extremely narrow," Dr. Ogeil stated.

our group of researchers have earlier demonstrated that this results in significant instances of overdosing or falling unconscious among individuals who use GHB.

Dr. Ogeil stated that the data underscores the critical importance of focused harm reduction efforts and timely interventions in various states as well as in regional areas such as Geelong.

The magnitude of the issue goes beyond emergency vehicle responses, as hospital admission statistics reveal that nationwide cases linked to GHB have increased from 569 during 2015-16 to 2,200 in 2022-23, nearly doubling compared to the prior year.

The study also discovered recurring trends in Greater Geelong, where attendance reaches its highest point during the summer, aligning with the time of year when music festivals take place.

Dr. Ogeil mentioned that the seasonal patterns highlighted effective chances for focused actions, such as medication testing programs and wellness initiatives.

"these trends reveal the locations and times when individuals require assistance the most. instead of awaiting critical incidents, we must have available harm reduction programs capable of connecting with people prior to issues worsening," he stated.

Dr. Ogeil emphasized the importance of funding for both urgent assistance and preventive actions. This should involve providing access to harm-reduction services, early help initiatives, and making sure aid is accessible throughout all regions—not only in large urban centers.

"This underscores the importance of having monitoring systems capable of identifying immediate damages, rather than only focusing on overall usage trends," he stated.

The results highlight the ability of the National Ambulance Surveillance System to detect drug-associated harm trends that may go unnoticed by other tracking methods, especially in rural regions where data resources are scarce.

A Victorian research examined 16,971 emergency responses related to GHB from January 2015 through March 2024. The national data includes emergency vehicle responses from January 2021 through March 2024 throughout New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory, and the Northern Territory.

More information: Naomi Beard and others, Patterns of Immediate Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate Injuries Demanding Emergency Services: Should More Attention Be Given to Rural Regions? Drug and Alcohol Review (2025). DOI: 10.1111/dar.14086

Provided by Monash University

This narrative first appeared on Medical Xpress .