Over the past seven years, the Coroner’s Court has reported 68 deaths from drug overdoses in Wyndham.
But drug experts believe this figure may be a lot higher. Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association [VAADA] chief executive Sam Biondo said a common factor in data collected for outer suburban areas such as Wyndham is the transience of the drug-using community.
“They seek substances where they can get them, so the recorded place of death isn’t necessarily where they’re from,” Mr Biondo said.
Victor Bilous, catchment manager for Odyssey House Victoria’s Melbourne south west and north west region said this was definitely the case.
“Because people from Wyndham will be sourcing their drugs or going into drug hotspots like Footscray, Frankston and the city, once they overdose, they are picked up by a local hospital,” he said.
“They’re also out partying … not necessarily in Wyndham.”
Mr Biondo said more needs to be done to prevent drug overdoses, but acknowledged that harm reduction strategies such as supervised injecting and pill testing were difficult topics for governments.
“It’s difficult for governments to sell, and for people to accept,” Mr Biondo said. “But what we see happening is an increasing number of deaths by drugs, and that’s why [VAADA is] calling for a much larger drug policy.”
Mr Bilous agreed, but also pointed out that treatment plans are also effective in reducing the likelihood of drug overdoses.
“No person who has ever been involved in our treatment plans has ever died from an overdose,” he said.
Mr Bilous said the most commonly used drug in Wyndham was alcohol, but overdoses were typically a result of a “cocktail”, such as “ice” mixed with prescription drugs.
