REPORT REVEALS HEROIN PROBLEMS IN GEELONG

A high proportion of heroin users in Geelong are sharing needles,
while many have little knowledge of the dangers of hepatitis C
transmission, a study has found.

This first in-depth study of heroin use in Geelong, found that the
city has a large and well-established heroin market. There were 28
deaths over the past five years as a result of heroin overdoses and
130 non-fatal overdoses between January 1999 and June 2000.

The study was conducted by Peter Miller, a PhD student at Deakin
University's School of Social Inquiry using information from 60 heroin
users as well as data from the police, the ambulance service and other
sources relating to the treatment and the supply of needles and syringes.

The study found that, while in the past five years the number of
needles and syringes provided throughout Geelong has more than doubled
and the number of returned needles has tripled, the lack of awareness
about transmitting hepatitis C was "of major concern".

The study also highlighted the ongoing phenomena of sharing needles
and needle re-use with between 57 and 70 per cent of the users
interviewed indicating they had shared injecting equipment in the past
12 months.

On average, 18,000 needles and syringes are provided each month in the
Geelong region.

Mr Miller said: "I think, to a large degree, there was an issue about
not really wanting to consider it - sort of looking at it as one of
Melbourne's problems." While he applauded moves to open a youth and an
adult detoxification centre, he said there was a need for a
rehabilitation centre and crisis housing. He also said there was need
for a "major rethink" on laws relating to needle possession.