Fatal drug overdoses among men aged 45 to 54 in Victoria increased by 47% from 106 in a previous year to 156 last year, driving the state’s total overdose deaths to 632, the highest number since data collection began in 2000. The report highlights heroin (261 deaths), methamphetamine (249 deaths), and diazepam (232 deaths) as the top contributing drugs, with many cases involving multiple substances. John Ryan from the Penington Institute suggests that a shift from pharmaceutical drug misuse to illicit drug use might be causing this rise but calls it "a bit of a mystery" needing further investigation.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Fatal overdoses among Gen X men have increased by almost 50 cent in Victoria in a single year, driving the state’s drug-related deaths to their highest levels since the heroin glut of the late 1990s.
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overdoses → increase → 1990s
A new Coroner’s Court report shows 632 overdose fatalities were recorded in Victoria last year – the highest number since the court began collecting data in 2000.
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court → show → 2000
Men aged 45 to 54 were more likely to die from a drug overdose than any other age group, with the number of deaths in this cohort rising from 106 in 2024 to 156 last year – a rise of 47 per cent.
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number → age → cent
The report said it was not known what was driving the rise among this age group.
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what → say → group
“An increase of 50 [fatal overdoses] in a single cohort in one year has not been observed in any other group for the reporting period,” the report said.
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report → observe → period
John Ryan, chief executive of drug policy organisation the Penington Institute, said the unprecedented rise in deaths among Gen X men was “a bit of a mystery” that needed further investigation.
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that → say → investigation
Ryan said he suspected that GPs becoming more cautious about prescribing addictive drugs, as well as real-time prescription monitoring, had led to middle-aged men previously addicted to pharmaceutical drugs being pushed into Victoria’s illicit drug market.
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men → say → market
“There’s a possibility that people have shifted from pharmaceutical misuse to illicit drug use.
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people → ’ → use
This is much more risky because they don’t know the quality or quantity of what they’re consuming,” he said.
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he → know → what
Ryan said a shortage of Victorian GPs who prescribe medication to treat addiction also made it difficult for users to access treatment such as methadone.
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users → say → methadone
“This is a story of great tragedy,” he said.
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he → say → tragedy
“It’s not just about the people who are lost, it’s about the people who are left behind to suffer.”
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who → ’ → people
The top contributing drugs to the fatal overdoses were heroin (261 deaths), methamphetamine (249 deaths) and the prescription medication diazepam, widely known by the brand name Valium (232 deaths).
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drugs → contribute → name
Many deaths involved multiple drugs.
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deaths → involve → drugs
Men were on average twice as likely as women to die from overdose.
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Men → die → overdose
The Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association described the situation as a public health crisis and called for greater investment in harm reduction initiatives.
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Association → describe → initiatives
“The fact that the annual overdose deaths have now surpassed 600 should be an immediate call to action,” said the organisation’s interim chief executive.
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executive → surpass → action
While about three-quarters of all overdose deaths unfolded in metropolitan Melbourne, for the first time in the report’s history Greater Geelong was the local government area with the highest number of fatal overdoses (45 deaths).
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Geelong → unfold → overdoses
It was followed by the City of Melbourne, which recorded 41 fatal overdoses.
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which → follow → overdoses
In August, Victorian coroner Simon McGregor called for a safe injecting room in Geelong following a damning finding into the December death of a 33-year-old Geelong woman whose mother found her unresponsive in her bedroom following a drug overdose involving heroin.
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her → call → heroin
The state government rejected the coroner’s call.
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government → reject → call
The contentious facility opened in 2018 as part of a five-year trial and was made permanent by state government legislation in 2023.
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facility → open → 2023
Then-premier Daniel Andrews pledged he would open a second injecting room in Melbourne’s CBD, but the plan was dumped by his successor Jacinta Allan in 2024.
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plan → pledge → 2024
Last year, there were 32 drug overdose fatalities in the City of Yarra – the municipality where the injecting room is located, up from 27 the year before.
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room → be → 27
The overdose death rate of 8.9 deaths per 100,000 people in Victoria remained relatively stable over the past decade.
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rate → remain → decade
Though this was an increase from 8.5 deaths in 2024, the coroner’s report found the increase over time was related to the state’s population growth.
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increase → find → growth
State Coroner Judge Liberty Sanger said the “deeply concerning” deaths highlighted the need for a strong public health response.
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deaths → say → response
“Drug-related harms are complex and affect communities all across Victoria – it is vital that vulnerable people can access appropriate supports, treatment and education,” Sanger said.
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Sanger → relate → supports
Health Minister Ingrid Stitt said the government acknowledged there is more to do.
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government → say → ?
“Every overdose death is a preventable tragedy – and I extend my sympathies to the friends and families impacted by the loss of a loved one to overdose,” Stitt said.
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Stitt → extend → overdose
“Whether it’s introducing pill testing, installing naloxone dispensing machines, or expanding access to rehabilitation beds across the state
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it → introduce → state
- we’re getting on with the job of addressing and reducing drug harms in our community.”
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we → get → community
The minister said the government would continue to roll out its $95 million statewide action plan that aims to increase access to opioid pharmacotherapy across community health services, target health and social supports, and introduce the state’s first alcohol and drug-related strategy – a 10-year plan for a holistic approach to reduce alcohol and other drug-related harm and stigma.
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that → say → alcohol
Stitt also said Labor had doubled the number of residential rehabilitation beds since coming to government in 2014, with a focus on regional and rural areas.
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Labor → say → areas
“The majority of these increases have been in rural and regional Victoria with brand-new facilities delivered for Corio, Wangaratta, and Traralgon – collectively providing care and support to an additional 900 Victorians a year.
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majority → deliver → Victorians
If you or anyone you know needs support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.
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you → know → 4636
The Aporia
