HEROIN STALKS WELL-OFF

A POTENT batch of heroin circulating in some of Melbourne's most affluent
suburbs has caused 15 drug overdoses in 24 hours.

Ambulance officers were called to a string of overdose cases in the eastern
suburbs, including Surrey Hills, Hawthorn, Mont Albert and South Yarra from
Sunday afternoon.

Other suburbs hit by the batch of the highly addictive drug include
Richmond, Fitzroy, Laverton and Abbotsford, as well as the central business
district.

Paramedics said they were shocked at the rise in heroin overdoses in
affluent areas over the past six months.

Intensive care paramedic Gary Becker said officers were now attending heroin
overdoses in suburbs once better-known for heart attacks and strokes among
elderly patients.

He said it had been an exception to treat a heroin overdose victim in these
suburbs only 18 months ago.

"It is not so rare now - they can be in very nice, well respected, elite
streets in the eastern suburbs," Mr Becker said.

Ambulance spokesman John Fasham said paramedics were called to treat three
overdose victims in three minutes on Sunday night.

"It serves as a warning to parents, friends and family members that it is
not only those who grow up in Colllngwood or St Kilda who experience drug
overdoses," he said.

"Drugs users are also privately educated people who live in the leafy
eastern suburbs."

"The sad thing is that parents who are not in tune with their children being
users often can't see the warning signs until it is too late.

"It is a drug that is used by all members of society including
professionals, university-educated and privately educated kids."

Mr Fasham said it was fortunate the patients had been discovered in time to
receive the heroin-blocking drug Narcan.

"While it is fortunate no one has died this time, it is tragic to see a life
taken because somebody has been hooked on heroin," be said.

Checked-by: Don Beck