By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
TRENDS in alcohol and drug related ambulance attendances in the City of Casey over the past three years to 2014 have revealed the problem continues to climb with population growth.
As one of Victoria’s fastest-growing municipalities – with an average yearly increase of around 8000 people – Casey also ranks high in alcohol-related ambulance attendances, revealed in an August Turning Point report.
The study found Casey ranked in the top five alcohol-related ambulance attendances, alongside Frankston (546), Dandenong (578), Port Phillip (616) and Melbourne (1436) in 2012/13, and increased again in Casey the following year.
With a spike in GHB drug-related attendances the statistics revealed a huge drop in antidepressant-related paramedic call outs, dropping 20 per cent in the period between 2012 and 2014.
Crystal methamphetamine callouts dropped along with those for cannabis however heroin, ecstasy and methadone calls for help saw an increase.
