SWAN Hill and Gannawarra were among regions that recorded Victoria’s lowest annual numbers for drug overdose deaths in the past decade, despite figures across the state being at near-record highs.
According to data released this week by the Coroners Court of Victoria, Swan Hill had no overdose deaths in 2023 and 2022, and Gannawarra recorded one in 2023.
Victoria had 547 deaths attributed to overdoses in 2023, just three fewer than the decade high of 550 the previous year.
State Coroner Judge John Cain said it was “deeply troubling” so many people had lost their lives to overdose last year.
“These deaths are preventable and we must strengthen our public health response and increase access to supports and treatment,” he said.
“Drug-related harms are complex and are driven by a variety of factors including changes in drug use, availability and regulation.
“That is why coronial data is so integral to understanding how best to target resources and save lives.”
Swan Hill had nine overdose deaths in the past decade with two occurring in 2019, and three since 2014 in Gannawarra.
Regional Victoria accounted for a quarter of deaths in 2023 at 136 fatalities, a general increase since 2014 when there were 97 deaths in regional areas.
Overdose deaths outside of metropolitan Melbourne dropped to 20 per cent in 2021, but the overall rate remained at about 25 per cent during the reporting period.
Pharmaceutical drugs were the most frequent factor in the deaths, although the annual number in which they played role dropped from 82.2 per cent in 2014 to 69.3 per cent in 2023.
Across the same period the proportion of Victorian overdose deaths involving illegal drugs increased, from 41.3 per cent a decade ago to 59 per cent last year.
Heroin was the most common illegal drug in 2023 ahead of methamphetamine, however while overdoses involving heroin declined compared to the previous 12 months, meth increased.
Just 15 per cent of overdoses with heroin happened in regional Victoria.
Psychoactives that are created to mimic the effects of “classic” illegal drugs, as well as cocaine, gamma-hydroxybutyrate or GHB, and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine – better known as MDMA – were among other illegal drugs contributing to overdoses last year.
Alcohol’s role in fatalities was relatively steady over time, at least between 2017 and 2023 when it contributed to on average about 29 per cent of overdose deaths per year.
The vast majority, 82.6 per cent, of overdose deaths in 2023 were deemed unintentional with 11.6 per cent deemed intentional self-harm and 5.8 per cent unable to be determined.
Men are on average twice as likely as women to die from overdose, and people aged between 35 and 54 are most at risk.
