'Last week my two-year-old witnessed an overdose': Mother slams plans to EXPAND Melbourne's controversial drug injecting room trial as residents demand program is shut down
- A new drug injecting centre at north Richmond opened its doors on Sunday
- The trial facility in Melbourne has provoked outcry from some nearby residents
- Nearly 3000 people have used it to inject drugs since it opened in June last year
A mother fearing for her children's lives has joined other residents in slamming a controversial plan to expand a drug injecting room trial in their neighbourhood.
Letitia Wilkinson says her eldest son goes to school next to the injecting room in Melbourne's north Richmond which opened its doors on Sunday, more than a year into the controversial 18-month trial.
The trial has provoked outcry from some nearby residents.
'Only last week my two-year-old experienced an overdose and my husband had to check if he was still alive and call for an ambulance,' Ms Wilkinson told Sunrise.
'And if you are talking about the school, what my eldest sees from school is something I can't even explain to him.'
Letitia Wilkinson (left) said her her eldest son goes to school next to the injecting room in Melbourne's north Richmond while local resident Marilyn Sinclair (right) said the facility, which was meant for heroin addicts is also being used by those who abuse ice
Local resident Marilyn Sinclair said the facility, which was meant for heroin addicts is also being used by those who abuse ice.
'Now it's quite clear many of the users are using ice as well and this has very unpredictable outcomes. I was nearly hit by a milk carton by somebody losing it.'
The centre was previously based at a local community health clinic next door but Mental Health Minister Martin Foley says the new, bigger facility with longer opening hours will help stop people shooting up on the streets.
It will open from 7am to 9pm on weekdays and 8am to 7pm on weekends
There have been more than 60,000 visits to the centre and nearly 3000 people have used it to inject drugs, mostly heroin, since it opened in June last year.
It comes after a coroner last month revealed there had been virtually no reduction in heroin-related deaths around north Richmond in the centre's first six months of operation.
A new centre at North Richmond opened its doors on Sunday, more than a year into the controversial 18-month trial. A drug user is seen outside of injecting room
The centre was previously based at a local community health clinic next door but Mental Health Minister Martin Foley says the new, bigger facility (pictured) with longer opening hours will help stop people shooting up on the streets
More than 1200 overdoses have also been safely managed, the trial's medical director Nico Clark says.
'Many of those were severe overdoses, people not breathing, completely unconscious, revived by our staff,' he told reporters on Sunday.
The government says there are more security patrols and outreach services in the area amid ongoing community complaints about the trial.
Council workers are collecting drug paraphernalia including syringes from the streets twice a day.
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The state government said it will decide whether to keep, expand or close the centre after the completion of trial period.
But Coroner Audrey Jamieson also said the trial was essential and six months was not enough time to judge its effect on drug-related harm in the area.
The state government said it will decide whether to keep, expand or close the centre (pictured) after the completion of trial period
