Parents call for change as drug overdose deaths hit record high in Qld

Queensland has recorded its highest number of unintentional overdose deaths on record in 2024, according to a report by the Penington Institute. That year, 417 individuals lost their lives to overdoses, the latest available data. Emma Kill, CEO of Queensland Injectors Voice for Advocacy and Action, expressed distress over the preventable nature of these deaths.

She recalled a personal tragedy, when a police officer informed Les and Pat Stelling in 1998 that their son Ian had died from an overdose of heroin after mixing it with alcohol while staying in a hotel room.

For the Stellings, the loss of their son came as an unexpected shock. Mr. Stelling recalled the officer's knock on their door at 1 am, delivering the devastating news. Mrs. Stelling emphasized that they have never fully recovered from the loss, which she described as a devastating blow to her family. Both parents have shown support to another close family member struggling with drug addiction, advocating for wider access to Naloxone, an opioid-blocking medication, and a system of drug checking.

Nationwide, unintentional drug-induced deaths topped 2,000 for the first time, surpassing the road toll. In Queensland, the rate of overdose deaths stood at 7.9 per 100,000 residents, higher than the 6.8 per 100,000 in greater Brisbane. Amphetamine-type stimulants, followed by heroin and benzodiazepines, were identified as the primary causes of these tragic deaths, according to the report.

Queensland Injectors Voice for Advocacy and Action urged the Queensland government to establish a comprehensive overdose strategy, which would be multidisciplinary and centered around the experiences of overdose victims and their families. The government, however, maintains that there is no safe way to consume drugs. Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls dismissed the call for an overdose strategy, stating that the government's position is clear: drugs are dangerous.