Ambulance Victoria called to more music festival drug overdoses this year than 2023

There has been a tragic spike in drug overdoses at Victorian music festivals, with most deaths involving young people “in the prime of their lives”.

Eight revellers were placed into induced comas after overdosing on drugs at Hardmission Festival in January.

Ambulance Victoria has responded to more drug overdoses at major music festivals in the first three months of this year than the entirety of 2023.

Documents obtained by the Herald Sun under Freedom of Information laws revealed that paramedics attended 20 overdoses across six festivals between January and March this year.

In 2023, Ambulance Victoria was called to a total of 18 overdoses at 11 festivals, showing an 11.1 per cent rise.

Last year was the first time the full festival season returned after the state was forced into strict Covid lockdowns.

The incidents, fatal and non-fatal, occurred at some of the state’s most popular events including Beyond the Valley, Pitch Music and Arts Festival, Rainbow Spirit Festival and St Jerome’s Laneway.

A data breakdown of the specific number of overdoses at each festival could not be provided to the Herald Sun.

Antony Maugeri died of a suspected drug overdoses at Pitch Music Festival this year.

It comes as aspiring DJ Antony Maugeri died in hospital after a suspected overdose at Pitch in March.

Eight revellers were also placed into induced comas after overdosing on MDMA at Hardmission Festival in January.

Drug and Alcohol Research Training Australia director Paul Dillon said the data was alarming.

“I think the concern is if you have seen that many at the start of the year, we have to be prepared and think about our messaging for this coming summer,” he said.

“If it’s that many, realistically what’s going to come next?

“It’s about providing good quality messaging to young people attending festivals about the potential risks.”

A Department of Health spokesperson said: “The number of drug related ambulance call-outs at festivals are in line with an increase in festival activity following the Covid pandemic”.

“All drug use comes with risks, but if people do choose to take illegal substances at festivals, it is important that they know how to stay safe and look after one another,” they said.

Nick Wallis, co-ordinator of drug harm reduction program DanceWize, said community trends would be monitored.

“The medical and welfare teams at festivals are well-prepared, providing professional and compassionate care, ensuring serious incidents are managed effectively and promptly,” he said.

Revellers overdosed on MDMA at Hardmission Festival.

“We are always looking for ways to improve responses, alongside other stakeholders working in festival health and welfare.

“We will be watching trends in the community carefully and continuing to train our team in preparation for next festival season.”

It comes as a recent Monash University study found drug use among revellers was “disproportionately high” compared with the general population.

In the survey, 48 per cent had used drugs and 24 per cent intended to take them at the next festival.

The study also revealed that most drug overdose deaths involved young people, primarily young men, using MDMA with other substances, including alcohol.

Senior researcher Dr Jennifer Schumann said most of the deaths were preventable.

“What struck me was that most of the deaths were unintentional,” she said.

“It’s a really sad situation, and I think many of these deaths are preventable.

“Most of these people are dying right in the prime of their lives when they’ve got decades of life ahead of them.”

Dr Schumann urged young people to educate themselves about drugs and overdoses.

“Behind every coroner’s case, there’s a grieving family and community,” she said.

“It changes people’s lives forever.”