Opioid drug accidental deaths in the Newcastle area of New South Wales, 1970-1987

Opioid drug accidental deaths were reviewed in coronial post-mortem files of the Newcastle City Morgue, New South Wales, between 1970 and 1987. There were 23 accidental deaths directly caused by opioids, with 19 deaths (83%) involving the use of heroin/morphine. Deaths on weekends/public holidays were over-represented compared with weekdays. In 14 cases (61%), the police notes suggested that help-seeking had been inappropriately delayed by people in the presence of the subject. In almost half the cases where blood alcohol analyses were performed, the results were positive with a mean of 0.14 g alcohol per 100 ml. For a shorter time period 1985-1987, opioid-related suicides were also examined. Data on the five subjects involved in the suicides suggested they were a different target group for prevention. Opioids appear to be a very much smaller cause of death than alcohol and tobacco in the Newcastle Area.