The Victorian Greens call on the Victorian Labor Government to urgently develop a plan, including safe injecting rooms, following recommendations from peak bodies within the drug harm reduction sector.
Today the Victorian Drug and Alcohol Association (VAADA) released their recommendation that the government take greater measures to ensure that harm caused by a surge in potent synthetic opioids in Victoria is mitigated.
The Greens echo this sentiment and say that the establishment of more safe injecting rooms is a pivotal part of this process.
Greens spokesperson for Drug Harm Reduction, Aiv Puglielli said:
“The new Premier has said that her fear as a parent is what led her to adopt pill testing. Every person who overdoses from injecting drugs is someone’s child. They deserve compassion and care, yet Labor has chosen to ignore the expert advice on safe injecting rooms.
“Right now we’re staring down the barrel of a synthetic opioid crisis where we could see tragic mass death events like what’s occurred in the US.
“The new Premier has the responsibility to urgently respond or more Victorians will tragically lose their lives. No amount of bowing to right-wing media and business tycoons will fix this – we need more injecting rooms.
“We’re talking about something which over the border in NSW is reported to be requiring up to five doses of naloxone to resuscitate – this is next level.
“We know that these drugs are extremely potent and they kill. That’s why we need safe injecting rooms that have the capacity for resuscitation and other resources to save lives.
“These synthetic opioids, fentanyl, nitazenes – they’re in pills, they’re in powders, they’re injected. They’re everywhere and they’re here now. The new Premier can’t afford to stumble around on making a plan to keep Victorians safe.
“Without safe injecting rooms we are sleepwalking into a drug overdose crisis.”
