The Greens have called on the new Premier to listen to the expert advice and expand safe injecting room services following the inquest into the tragic death of 15-year-old Tyrone Woxvold who died of a heroin overdose just a few hundred metres from Richmond’s supervised injecting room.
The Victorian Greens have fought to expand the eligibility criteria in line with the recommendations from the expert Ryan report. The Greens moved amendments through Parliament in May 2023 seeking to expand the service, including making it accessible to people under the age of eighteen.
The Victorian Greens drug harm reduction spokesperson, Aiv Puglielli said that as synthetic opioids take root in Victoria, the new Premier must stop blocking new injecting rooms or more lives will be at risk.
Victorian Greens drug harm reduction spokesperson, Aiv Puglielli:
“The Greens warned the Labor government that the deliberate exclusion of young people from injecting rooms would lead to preventable overdose deaths. The new Premier is ignoring the expert advice in continuing to block minors from life-saving care.
“The Ryan review into the North Richmond injecting room highlighted the need for these health services in the community. The evidence is clear – injecting rooms save lives.
“As synthetic opioids take root in Victoria, the new Premier blocking new injecting rooms and refusing access to existing care services for people who need them is putting lives at risk.
“Not a single death has occurred at the North Richmond injecting room since its establishment. If given access to this service, this young person’s life could have been saved.”