Over the past four decades, Sean (not his real name) has lost at least six people to heroin-involved overdoses.
The community worker, who has overdosed 10 times himself, says reflecting on these anniversaries is "horrible".
"We could have saved those people if it weren't for prohibition and the stigma," he said.
Sean remembers being left in a car park on Bell Street after overdosing when he was in his 20s.
"If it hadn't been for the people at McDonald's, I would have died in the car park," he said.
"It's really difficult for street-based users, and unfortunately they don't have much of a voice in this in this conversation."
Sean was not surprised the Coroners Court of Victoria found there had been a rise in heroin-involved overdoses in the first half of 2022.
He wants more effort put into preventing fatal overdoses and says the introduction of a second medically supervised injecting room (MSIR) in the City of Melbourne would benefit users, particularly those experiencing homelessness.
"Every third or fourth block we have safe places where people can drink [alcohol]," he said.
"That's how I want people to think about a safe injecting room.
"People are entitled to health care and having a safe space."
Overdoses rise
Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association (VAADA) executive officer Sam Biondo is also concerned about the rise in heroin overdoses in Victoria.
Heroin contributed to more than 60 deaths in the first and second quarters of 2022, compared to an average of 42 deaths in each of the preceding six quarters.
"We've got to continue providing these prevention services on the ground to keep on dampening this death rate," Mr Biondo said.
Newly released Victorian Coroners Court data from between July 2020 and June 2022 showed Melbourne had the highest amount of fatal heroin overdoses of any local government area with 29 deaths, closely followed by 28 in Brimbank and 23 in the City of Yarra.
The North Richmond MSIR opened in mid-2018 in the City of Yarra.
In previous years Yarra had a notably higher number of fatal overdoses than other local government areas.
Mr Biondo says the fact that heroin-involved overdoses in Yarra are now lower than in other council areas shows prevention strategies work.
"In Yarra itself, putting an MSIR in the hotspot to where the activity was has had many, many positive implications, including reduction in deaths … and a reduction in public injecting," he said.
"If we had a service like this in the city, you'd probably get a similar response and a reduction in death rate."
Mr Biondo said there was a good case for a MSIR in Melbourne because there was an area where many people were using heroin.
In Brimbank, Mr Biondo recommended analysing where and how heroin overdoses were occurring before coming up with a tailored solution.
Second facility considered
The Victorian government is expected to make an announcement on a second supervised injecting service in Melbourne after former Victoria Police commissioner Ken Lay delivers a report into the proposal in mid-2023.
"We know the pandemic has significantly changed aspects of the CBD, including population, foot traffic, drug harm, the types of drugs people buy, and where they consume them and homelessness patterns," a Victorian government spokesperson said.
An MSIR in the City of Melbourne was recommended in June 2020 following the first independent review of the North Richmond facility.
Last year the council confirmed its support for a medically supervised injecting service.
"Councillors noted Melbourne's economic recovery post-pandemic is critical and that the location, timing and impact of [an MSIR] must be carefully considered," a City of Melbourne spokesperson said.
The Police Association Victoria raised concerns that a MSIR in Melbourne would negatively impact community safety and amenity.
Secretary Wayne Gatt said the City of Yarra remains one of the worst council areas for drug overdoses despite the MSIR.
"The government's own review noted that trialling an MSIR has not overcome the broader amenity challenges created by a pre-existing drug market," he said.
"To gloss over these factors in a much more complex environment [such] as the Melbourne CBD would be irresponsible."
If this story has raised issues about your own or others drug and alcohol use, please contact the national hotline for confidential counselling and referral on 1800 250 015.
