As we reported yesterday, Victoria is on pace for the most drug overdose deaths in a decade. Alarmingly, these trends are especially stark within the suburbs of metropolitan areas. By 2024, overdose deaths had increased to an alarming 5,268. That was more than any year in the last 10 years combined. This alarming figure highlights the importance of developing and testing effective intervention strategies during a time of increasing deaths by drug overdose.
Heroin-related deaths hit their highest point in the Yarra local government area. At the same time, Melbourne city experienced the greatest increase in methamphetamine overdose deaths. In 2021, over 75% of overdose deaths were due to poly-drug toxicity. This highlights just how complicated the substance use issues the state is facing. The statistics reveal a shocking disparity: men are two times more likely than women to experience an overdose. Within this subgroup, people ages 35-54 experience an astonishing fragility.
Overview of Fatal Overdose Statistics
This alarming increase in overdose deaths is just the latest chapter of a story that has unfolded over the past ten years. Now, as of only 2024, heroin, diazepam, methamphetamine, alcohol, and pregabalin have all risen to being the leading contributive drugs in fatal overdoses. Unsurprisingly, pharmaceutical drugs were responsible for a shocking 69% of these deaths. Even then, their numbers have been slowly shrinking through the years.
Alcohol continued to play a central role in overdose deaths, accounting for 24% of deaths in 2024. Data modelling undertaken at the research group estimates that calculated fatal overdose rate in Victoria was 8.1 deaths per 100,000 people. This figure is based on 2015-2024 appropriations. This rate places Victoria as second highest in Australia for overdose, behind only Western Australia.
In regional Victoria, Greater Geelong had a particularly alarming leap in 2024, with 35 overdose deaths recorded. Nearly all of these deaths were attributable to heroin and methamphetamine consumption. This statistic is indicative of a growing and alarming trend in substance abuse that’s hurting cities as well as regional communities alike.
Government Response and Future Initiatives
The Victorian government is finally moving to address the worsening crisis. Like their new $95 million Statewide Action Plan and their detailed five-point comprehensive prevention strategy, which aims to halve overdose deaths by 2025. This project will create the first fixed site overdose prevention service in their county. It will be rolling into Fitzroy later this month. Advocacy wins These efforts are geared towards responding to the urgent needs of communities impacted by the epidemic and equipping them with vital resources to expand harm reduction.
Even with these government initiatives, researchers and other experts believe greater action is needed. Scott Drummond remarked on the situation:
“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.”
Drummond emphasized the need for additional resources and initiatives:
“These deaths are the result of a continuing low level of action or almost inaction in response to drug use in the community.”
The current wave of overdoses—exacerbated by COVID—requires us to think outside the box and implement new harm reduction strategies. Experts like Drummond argue that implementing measures such as increased availability of Naloxone—a life-saving drug that reverses opioid overdoses—is critical. He stated:
“We need more overdose prevention facilities, such as the supervised injecting rooms, where the harms are occurring — that’s place-based intervention.”
The Role of Harm Reduction Strategies
As the pandemic deepened, Victoria became home to an ever-worsening humanitarian crisis. In addressing the increasing substance use and overdose mortality epidemic, we will only get there through public health approaches and community engagement.
“The drug checking service is a great start, but we need to continue to introduce more initiatives, such as increasing the availability of Naloxone.”
Drummond also highlighted the importance of peer-support services:
“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.”
As Victoria grapples with this escalating crisis, the combination of public health initiatives and community involvement will be crucial in addressing the underlying issues contributing to substance abuse and overdose deaths.
