Penington Institute
Penington Institute is a public health research and drug policy organization based in Carlton, Victoria, Australia. Penington Institute’s namesake and patron, Professor David Penington AC, was one of Australia’s leading public intellectuals and health experts. John Ryan is the chief executive.
Penington Institute produces an annual report on Australian overdose deaths - Australia's Annual Overdose Report. The 2018 report showed that deaths from overdoses, mostly from opioids, had increased across the country consistently since 2003, and significantly outnumbered deaths on the road. Figures are produced detailing deaths for individual areas. Ryan pointed out in 2022 that pharmaceuticals continued to drive overdose deaths in Australia and repeated calls for a National Overdose Prevention Strategy. 2,356 Australians died of overdose in 2022, the latest year for which figures are available, and 80% of these were unintentional.
Penington Institute has published the Report since 2022 which aims to fill the gap for accurate, up-to-date data on Australian trends, attitudes and approaches relating to cannabis. Penington Institute supports the decriminalisation of cannabis paired with a carefully regulated cannabis market for adult personal use.
Penington Institute has convened International Overdose Awareness Day since 2012. During the time Penington Institute has convened the awareness day, held on August 31, it has grown and is observed in more than 40 countries with more than 1,000 events held each year.
Penington Institute has been instrumental in driving a variety of initiatives that aim to minimise the harm caused by drugs including Australia's Take Home Naloxone program, Training and - a specialty publication for workers on the frontline of drug issues in Australia, including needle and syringe program workers. The Bulletin has not been published since 2022 when funding from the Commonwealth Government ceased.
Patrons
Emeritus Professor Sir Gustav Nossal AC CBEProfessor The Honourable Dame Marie Bashir AD CVO
Professor Suzanne Cory AC
Emeritus Professor David de Kretser AC
Professor Peter Doherty Nobel Laureate AC FAA FRS
Professor Ian Gust AO
Professor Margaret Hamilton AO
Professor The Honourable Barry Jones AC
The Honourable Michael Kirby AC CMG
Professor Fiona Stanley AC FAA FASSA
Professor David Penington AC
Board of Directors
Ms Kathryn Greiner AOMs Carmel Arthur OAM
Dr Bulent Hass Dellal AO
Professor Nicholas Lintzeris
The Honourable Vernon White
Adjunct Professor Scott Wilson
Mr Mick Palmer AO APM