Heroin, depressants kill Frankston residents as accidental overdoses double in decade
The shocking toll of accidental drug overdoses in the Frankston region has been revealed, with the area recording the third most fatalities in Melbourne. It comes as struggling Frankston residents were forced into homelessness to avoid drug-ridden share houses.
South East
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The number of Frankston residents who died from an accidental overdose has doubled in the space of a decade, the latest stats reveal.
And the region recorded the third most deaths in Melbourne, with depressants and heroin claiming the most lives in the metropolitan area.
A shocking 71 Frankston residents died due to unintentional overdose between 2014 and 2018, behind Dandenong and Port Phillip which both recorded 78 deaths.
Frankston’s tragic toll was more than a 50 per cent increase on the 47 deaths recorded between 2009 and 2013, with 25 people losing their lives between 2004 and 2008.
The alarming statistics also showed Frankston had a rate of more than 10 deaths per 100,000 people, alongside Darebin, Port Phillip and Yarra.
Benzodiazepines — including diazepam and temazepam — killed 133 Melburnians in 2018 while heroin claimed 131 lives.
The next worst drugs were other pharmaceuticals — including antidepressants, antipsychotics,
sedatives — claiming 116 lives and stimulants — including speed and ice — killing 99.
The data revealed men to be three times more likely to die of an overdose than women across the country, with 75 per cent of all overdoses accidental.
“In the five years between 2014 and 2018, there were 71 unintentional overdose deaths in Frankston. That’s an unacceptably high number and it’s 71 too many,” Penington Institute chief executive John Ryan said.
“The data is clear … the overdose situation in Frankston is getting significantly worse. People are suffering and dying unnecessarily, and all levels of government and society need to do more to keep them safe.”
The alarming statistics come after shocking claims that struggling Frankston residents were being forced into homelessness to avoid drug and crime-ridden share houses in the area.
Desperate people left with nowhere to go are taking shelter in derelict and unoccupied buildings including the Frankston Yacht Club and former Pancake Parlour restaurant.
“(Share houses) are cesspools for drugs,” Donation Chain homeless charity founder Helena Blomeley told the Leader.
“Some of the guys are in recovery and are staying on the streets to stay sober.”
Frankston Mayor Sandra Mayer told the Leader on August 23 the council had noticed an increase in presentations from people with no fixed address or income during the coronavirus lockdown.
“Council has continued to work in partnership with the relevant agencies including Bolton Clarke and Launch Housing to assist our vulnerable residents,” she said.
“As part of our $6.434 million COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Package we have provided an additional $300,000 in financial aid and a further $270,000 in staff redeployment to Community Support Frankston.”
brittany.goldsmith@news.com.au
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