News
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Plan for tackling Australian drug woes
Telling young people not to take drugs isn’t working. That’s according to the head of a national drug services organisation and a former Australian Federal Police commissioner. Instead, the nation should focus on reducing the harm caused by drugs, including offering pill testing at music festivals, the duo say. […]
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It’s time to try a different approach to drug use
Will a strategic approach of harm minimisation absolutely stop the number of deaths from drug consumption? No. Might it reduce the number of deaths? Yes. Isn’t that enough of a reason to try a different approach to drug use? No doubt the Canberra pill-trial wasn’t perfect. But it demonstrated a…
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Trans-Tasman Charter for Pill Testing
On behalf of the STA-SAFE Consortium and our colleagues in New Zealand – we are please to release the Trans-Tasman Charter for Pill Testing. We are also encouraging organisations and individuals that support the principles outlined in this charter contacting Harm Reduction Australia to be listed as signatory. Trans Tasman…
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Imagine if the media covered alcohol like other drugs
What if the media covered alcohol like it does other drugs? This was a question that came up in my coverage of flakka, a synthetic drug that made headlines after law enforcement blamed it for people running in the streets naked in delusional paranoia. What follows is a satirical attempt…
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Adelaide music festival to go ahead as police warn of ‘significant risk’ to party goers using illicit drugs
Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation president Dr Alex Wodak said additional police resources at music festival were doing more harm than good. “There were 120 police and 20 detectives at Defqon.1,” Dr Wodak said. “We have to recognise that relying heavily on law enforcement has been incredibly unsuccessful. “It is irresponsible…
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A Zero Tolerance Drug Policy Doesn’t Mean Zero Deaths
Two people died at Defqon.1 festival in Sydney over the weekend. Three others are in critical condition, and another 700 had to seek medical assistance during the festival. This has to stop, and it won’t stop through zero tolerance. […]
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Richard Branson to launch Uniting-led campaign on drug reform
“A decriminalisation approach coupled with investment in harm reduction and treatment services can have a positive impact on both individual drug users and society as a whole. The Uniting Church in NSW and ACT is taking a leadership role in this important campaign, we are encouraging everyone to show their support…
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How Pill Testing Would Work In Australia
The test, despite claims from politicians, does not give a rating on how safe the drug is. It simply allows people, who are already planning to consume a drug anyway, to know what they are about to put in their mouth. Caldicott said this information often led to people discarding…
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Drug response out of tune
I believe that we need to double down on our efforts to minimise the harm experienced by illicit drug users in Australia. These efforts should include the decriminalisation of addiction and the provision of pill testing. […]
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Defqon. 1 attendees say police officers were scaring people away from medical services
Police have come under renewed fire from angry festivalgoers who claim cops were scaring people away from the medical tent at the Defqon. 1 festival where two people died of drug overdoses. […]