Harm Reduction Australia

“Figures released from the Victorian government show that more than 2,200 clients have used the service, and staff have safely managed more than 650 overdoses that may have otherwise been fatal. “The facility is literally saving lives, and this must be at the forefront of all of our conversations about this particular site and any other facility’s future.” Other pharmacists criticised the way the issue was reported by the Herald Sun, saying it reinforced stigma and was unhelpful. […]

The Ted Noffs Foundation’s CEO Matt Noffs said 80 per cent of program participants have mental health issues, and the public had to recognise drug use was not simply a “bad choice” but intrinsically linked to poverty and traumatic upbringing.He said mental health services had done well to reduce stigma, but in the field of drug and alcohol addiction there was a long way to go. […]

One barrier to treatment – social stigma – has consistently been raised by experts and drug users alike during this week’s hearings in Sydney. “The kids come in with so many labels that you’re a drug addict, you’re a junkie, you’re scum, you’re all these different things,” Mr Ferry told the commission. […]

Sniffer dogs and punitive policing are driving up the number of drug overdoses at music festivals and causing other problems in NSW, a special inquiry has been told. Festival-goers often “preload” before entering a venue by downing an excessive amount of alcohol and drugs, according to NSW Users and AIDS Association chief executive Mary Harrod. […]