Vic ambulance stats

[niggles]

PRESCRIPTION drugs and alcohol caused more than 14,000 ambulance calls in Victoria last year, statistics show.

Crystal methamphetamine (ice) is also causing damage, with ambulance calls for people on the drug jumping more than 100 per cent from 136 to 282 in the past two financial years.

But an analysis of Ambulance Victoria data shows prescription drugs are causing more harm than many illicit drugs. Painkillers, antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, benzodiazepines and antidepressants were responsible for 7455 ambulance calls last year and 7813 the year before. They overtook alcohol at 6946 calls - up 12 per cent from 6187 ambulance trips the year before.

Advertisement: Story continues below

Benzodiazepines such as diazepam are prescribed to help people relax and sleep.

Calls for people experiencing problems related to amphetamines, including methamphetamine, also increased 33 per cent from 445 in 2009-10 to 590 last year and cannabis calls jumped 15 per cent from 881 to 1014 over the same period.

The City of Melbourne remained the local government with the highest proportion of alcohol and ecstasy-related calls, but Frankston had the highest number for prescription drugs. The City of Yarra, which includes Collingwood, Richmond and Fitzroy, had the highest proportion of heroin-related attendances.

The data from 2009-10 and 2010-11 is in a report on trends in alcohol and drug-related ambulance attendances produced by Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre, with Ambulance Victoria and the Department of Health.

Turning Point researcher Dr Belinda Lloyd said the report showed drugs and alcohol were causing serious damage, with thousands of people getting sick enough to need an ambulance. She said the calls included those for intentional and unintentional overdoses, as well as for injuries sustained by intoxicated people.

Dr Lloyd said the data pointed to a worrying trend of people combining drugs, particularly with alcohol, which could increase the dangers.

''We're seeing cases of people using benzodiazepines in conjunction with alcohol and other drugs and that can have very serious consequences. Benzodiazapines and alcohol are both central nervous system depressants so when you combine two depressants it substantially increases the risk of respiratory distress, unconsciousness and death,'' she said.

Dr Lloyd said increasing abuse of prescription medication needed close attention from many, including clinicians and different parts of government to reduce the harm.

''We need a suite of responses to address this … this is not just a health issue or a justice issue or a licensing issue, there is a whole range of factors involved,'' she said. ''In some ways, it's more complex than the illegal drug issue … you don't want to reduce the availability of these drugs for treating legitimate health conditions, but you also want to minimise the risk of them being diverted or used in an inappropriate way.''

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/prescription-drugs-alcohol-wreak-havoc-20120507-1y95h.html#ixzz1uEwQk0Wa

 

[quarterflesh]

not surprising at all

[PositiveHAL]

what? why no psychedelics or dissociatives.... that cant be right at all

[niggles]

what? why no psychedelics or dissociatives.... that cant be right at all

 

too hard to use a phone

[PositiveHAL]

i interpret it to mean that the're totally safe and full of rainbows!

and i won't hear anything different

[qualia]

i'm noticing the media is reporting not on the 14,000 ambulance calls due to alcohol and prescription medication, but "ZOMG 100% increase in meth ambulance calls!!!!!!one11",

typical .......

heres the report btw

http://www.turningpoint.org.au/site/DefaultSite/filesystem/documents/Ambo%20Project%20Annual%20Trends%20Report%202010-11%20edit.pdf