Victoria’s heroin deaths double in past five years

HEROIN deaths have spiralled in Victoria with shocking figures showing fatal overdoses have doubled in the past five years, killing almost as many as on our roads.

HEROIN deaths have spiralled in Victoria with shocking figures showing fatal overdoses have doubled in the past five years.

The death toll hit a 17-year high with more than 200 people dying from heroin overdoses last year alone, the state coroner has found.

“The number of heroin-involved overdose deaths has more than doubled since 2012, with 220 fatalities in 2017,” Coroner Audrey Jamieson found in a report released today.

The shocking number rivals the 2017 road toll of 255 deaths.

OVERDOSES EVERY DAY AT NEW INJECTING ROOM

CITY KIDS REVEAL DRUG ABUSE, USED SYRINGES FEARS

LOCALS ‘TERRIFIED’ AS DRUG USERS RUN AMOK

Used syringes and drug paraphernalia litter the ground around Victoria Street in Richmond. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

Between 2012 and 2017 there were 952 heroin overdose deaths across the state.

However most people who overdosed on heroin were also found to have been using other drugs at the same time.

“Alcohol, methamphetamine and a broad range of central nervous system depressant pharmaceutical drugs contribute to heroin-involved overdose death in Victoria,” Coroner Jamieson said.

The most common drug used in conjunction with heroin are benzodiazepine, commonly prescribed as an anti-anxiety medication.

It was involved in more than 50 per cent of heroin deaths, the report found.

The mixing of pharmaceutical and heroin was of particular concern to the Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association executive officer.

“It’s particularly shocking that pharmaceutical drugs and heroin are being used in conjunction,” executive officer Sam Biondo said.

“It shows obviously there are a lot more people seeking it out and prescribing practices aren’t what they should be,” Mr Biondo said.

Syringes lined gutters in Richmond. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

Richmond residents removed their tap handles to stop people getting water to mix with drugs. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

He said drug users may be unaware of the dangers involved in mixing substances, they may find it heightens the effect of drugs they use or it could simply be misadventure.

But the coroner also found deaths were concentrated around certain areas.

“Each year since 2012 the number of heroin-involved overdose deaths has risen in Victoria and over time several local government areas in metropolitan Melbourne have been the location of particularly high numbers of deaths,” she found.

The top local government areas were the cities of Yarra, Melbourne and Brimbank.

Last year Brimbank had 19 fatal overdoses, Yarra had 16 and Melbourne 15.

The report comes after the coroner investigated the death of Samuel Morrison who died of a combined drug overdose involving heroin at Hoppers Crossing in 2016.

“Mr Morrison’s death is, tragically, only one of hundreds of heroin involved overdose deaths that have occurred in Victoria over the past few years,” Coroner Jamieson said in her findings.

The 26-year-old had a history of mental health and drug issues but was released from hospital a day before his death despite his family concerns for his health.

MORE LAW AND ORDER