Latest news with #drugoverdoses
ABC News
a day ago
- Health
- ABC News
Fatal drug overdoses reach 10-year high in Victoria, with people aged between 35 and 54 most at risk
More Victorians died of drug overdoses in 2024 compared to any other year in the past decade, a new report shows. According to latest data from the Coroners Court of Victoria, the state recorded 584 fatal overdoses last year, up from 547 the year prior, with illegal drugs remaining the biggest contributor. While Victoria's annual per capita fatal overdose rate remained more or less stable at around 8.1 deaths per 100,000 people between 2015 and 2024, the report noted a significant increase in the involvement of illicit drugs over the same period. Classed under that category are substances such as heroin, methamphetamine, MDMA, cocaine and GHB. Those drugs peaked in use last year in both metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria, contributing to 65 per cent of the total overdose deaths across the state. That represents a 16 per cent increase from 2015, when illegal drugs contributed to 49 per cent of the state's total overdose deaths. "The concerning rise in overdose deaths and especially those involving illegal drugs is a stark reminder that we need to keep building on our harm reduction efforts," Victorian state coroner John Cain said. Tuesday's data breaks down Victorian overdose deaths by three main categories — illegal, pharmaceutical, and alcohol. The report found that pharmaceutical drug use — although over-represented in the overall overdose deaths last year at 69 per cent — has gradually declined over the decade. Meanwhile, the contribution of alcohol in 2024 was consistent with previous years at a rate of 24 per cent. In the past decade, 5,268 people have died from drug overdoses in Victoria and most of those deaths were from combined drug toxicity. Last year, the five top contributing drugs to fatal overdoses were heroin (248), diazepam (219), methamphetamine (215), alcohol (141) and pregabalin (92). Heroin and methamphetamine-related deaths were the highest in the metropolitan local government areas of Yarra and Melbourne city respectively. In regional Victoria, where about a quarter of total fatal overdoses occurred, Greater Geelong recorded a substantially higher number of deaths in 2024 than in previous years at 35, all but one of which were a result of heroin and meth use. Head of policy and practice at the Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association (VAADA), Scott Drummond, said the figures called for increased treatment resources and prevention initiatives in the illicit drug space. "These deaths are the result of a continuing low level of action or almost inaction in response to drug use in the community," he said. "One of the things that was really problematic was the intense debate around the overdose prevention facility, otherwise known as the safe injecting room. However, 95 people aged 55 to 64 also died from an overdose in 2024, compared to 87 the year prior, with numbers fluctuating across the decade. Victoria first introduced a Medically Supervised Injecting Service (MSIR) trial in North Richmond in 2018. But last year the Allan government turned down recommendations for a second such facility to be set up in the Melbourne CBD. despite data at the time pointing to the City of Melbourne as the deadliest council area for drug deaths. It instead committed to a $95 million Statewide Action Plan. That included a new $36.4 community health service, trial of hydromorphone, more naloxone vending machines, expansion of pharmacotherapy — which involves specialist drugs like methadone and counselling — and the appointment of a chief addiction advisor in the Victorian Department of Health. Naloxone is a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose and comes in the form of a nasal spray, as well as an injection. Under the Take Home Naloxone program launched in 2022, the drug was federally subsidised. But determining which pharmacies or community services can distribute it and how much they are supplied with is up to each state and territory. As part of its health plan the Victorian government also started a mobile pill testing service at music festivals last year. This month it is due to open a fixed site service in Fitzroy. Mr Drummond said those initiatives were welcome but also required a well-funded implementation strategy. "The drug checking service is a great start, but we need to continue to introduce more initiatives, such as increasing the availability of Naloxone, a drug which is easy to administer and reverses opioid overdoses," he said. "We need more overdose prevention facilities, such as the supervised injecting rooms, where the harms are occurring — that's place-based intervention. "We need more resourcing for peer-support services, where folks of lived and living experience of drug and alcohol use can support those that are in the midst of drug and alcohol use. Their support and wisdom is really helpful and really effective. "We need more specialist services responding to misuse of benzodiazepines (a pharmaceutical depressant drug)." Similar measures have also been called for nationally. A five-point prevention strategy recommended last year by The Penington Institute. It has compiled Australia's annual overdose report for 10 years, including drug education, increasing Naloxone access, medication-assisted treatment, drug checking, and supervised consumption. That was based off data showing 2,356 drug-induced deaths across Australia in 2022, 80 per cent of which were unintentional. Victoria's fatal overdose rate was the second-highest in the country after Western Australia.
New York Times
11-07-2025
- Health
- New York Times
Two Dozen Hospitalized in Mass Drug Overdose in Baltimore
More than two dozen people were hospitalized for suspected drug overdoses in Baltimore on Thursday, as rescue crews scoured alleys and homes in fear that there were more victims. The crisis involved an unusually large number of patients in a city that has struggled with overdoses. Reporters for The Baltimore Banner working with The New York Times examined the city's drug overdose crisis, the worst in the country, in a series of articles last year. There were no fatalities reported on Thursday, but 25 people were hospitalized with suspected overdoses, according to an officer who answered the phone at the Baltimore Police Department's Western District station early Friday and declined to give his full name. The hospitalizations were earlier reported by The Banner, which cited Lindsey Eldridge, a police spokeswoman. The overdoses set off a large response by emergency medical workers, police officers, public health officials and state agencies, the day after Baltimore City Council members held their first public hearing on the city's drug crisis. The Times/Banner investigation found that the crisis had been triggered by fentanyl but exacerbated by some treatment providers' exploitative practices and city leaders' failure to respond forcefully. Officials have not said what type of drug was involved in Thursday's overdoses, which remained under investigation, the city of Baltimore said in a statement. The Baltimore City Fire Department initially responded to a report of an overdose in the Penn North neighborhood of West Baltimore around 9 a.m. When members of an emergency crew arrived, residents directed them to additional unconscious people, the fire chief, James Wallace, said in a news conference on Thursday afternoon. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
BreakingNews.ie
05-06-2025
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
Priest calls for end to violent feud in Limerick as footage emerges of drive-by shooting
A priest is to hold an open-air Mass in Limerick, calling for an end to a violent feud in the city and to remember victims, including young people who have died of drug overdoses. Fr Richard Keane, co-parish priest Our Lady of Lourdes Church, said he is to hold the Mass outside the parish church at 7pm on Wednesday, June 11th, as his concerns grow that someone in the community will be killed in the escalating violence. Advertisement The feud has ratcheted up in recent months with petrol bombs and drive-by shootings becoming the norm in the local community – a stark reminder of when gang violence left 20 people dead in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Fr Keane said: 'I just want to pray for peace and for people to respect their neighbours. There are some fabulous people in the community and ultimately I just want people to appreciate their neighbours and put an end to any actions or anti-social behaviour that is putting our community in a bad light or having people in fear.' In one of the latest attacks, two masked men filmed themselves committing a drive-by shooting on Hyde Road, indiscriminately firing up to nine shots from a handgun at houses on the street. Fr Keane described as 'shocking' the latest wave of violence in the area. Advertisement 'Ultimately if it continues going the way it is going it will end up with loss of life, so anytime someone's life is in danger, no matter who they are, you would have to be concerned, especially for young people,' Fr Keane said. 'What happens then is that it turns into a spiral of violence then where there is revenge and retribution and you have a terrible cycle of violence so, you would hope that will be avoided and that this will stop before someone loses their life, especially a young person.' Fr Keane said his door is always open to anyone with concerns: 'Yes 100 per cent, I'm always here to listen to people and to pray for people and to support them in any way I can.' 'I just want every single person in the community to feel safe and sound and protected and happy to be living there.' Advertisement Holding out hope for a positive change ahead of the planned open-air Mass, Fr Keane praised community leaders at the local community centre, local sports clubs, and local schools who he said have tried their best to steer young people away from engaging in violence and anti-social activities. 'The vast majority of the people living in the parish are good, decent, people and they just want to live in peace.' 'At next Wednesday's Mass near the statue of Our Lady, at the back of the church, we are going to remember anyone who has died locally down through the years for various reasons – of course, a lot of young people have died from drug overdoses, so we are going to remember all of those people.' 'We are going to pray for a good community, for peace, and a good sense of togetherness and neighbourhood - We are trying to bring people together.' Advertisement 'There is a great community centre here with great community initiatives and the school has a brilliant principal and brilliant staff who work so hard for the area too.' 'They all have their hearts in the right place, they are committed in trying to give the kids in the area the best education and opportunities, and too allow them to discover their gifts and talents and to try to be positive in their lives – and that needs to be acknowledged too.' 'Obviously places have anti-social problems, and a situation like this is very upsetting,' Fr Keane added. Ireland Gardaí investigating arson attack at Limerick fill... Read More 'We know how it finishes up, its very cyclical, you can have an end of a feud and things are quiet for 10 years and then things kick off again.' Advertisement Fr Keane said he was a 'very much 100 per cent' proud Limerick native who wants 'to see the best for the city.' He called on authorities to continue to provide resources for young people to attack 'boredom' in their lives. 'If people are idle and have nothing to do, they can find themselves going down the wrong road, but if people have something to do or have something to engage in, obviously then there is less chance of them going down the wrong path.'
