A new report by the Australian Institute for Health and Welfare has painted the first ever comprehensive picture of the opioid problem in Australia.

While illegal drugs like heroin remain a serious issue the report finds pharmaceutical opioids were far more likely to lead to deaths and hospitalisations.

AIHW spokesperson Dr Lynelle Moon tells Mark about 715,000 people used pharmaceutical opioids for illicit or non-medical purposes between 2016 and 2017.

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