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The American Medical Association Endorses Trying Supervised Injection Facilities
The American Medical Association (AMA) says these rooms, staffed by medical personnel who monitor drug users, lead to fewer overdose deaths, less transmission of infectious disease and promote treatment. AMA leaders, by a voice vote, approved a resolution calling for development of pilot SIFs during the organization’s annual meeting. […]
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Move Over Hippocrates: Harm Reduction as the New Paradigm for Health Care
We live in a world of rampant harms and not enough resources in health care to contain them. Our paradigm should evolve from “do no harm” to “reduce harm.” Chained by practicality, physicians don’t have the luxury of shooting for the impossibility of no harm. It’s time for us to…
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No external experts asked about Coalition’s drug test policy, officials say
The Australian National Council on Drugs warned four years ago that there was “no evidence” that drug testing welfare recipients would have any positive effects, and found drug use was not, by itself, a significant barrier to employment. The Coalition says the measure, announced in the budget, is designed to…
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Welfare drug test: which countries do it and has it worked anywhere?
Despite their high cost, welfare drug testing programs are popping up in new states across the US. The proponents argue they save money, identify and help people struggling with substance abuse, and ensure welfare money isn’t subsidising an illegal act. But critics point out there’s little evidence this is the…
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Aussie Think-Tank Proposes to End the “War on Drugs”
A powerful Think-tank – Australia 21 – which consists out of former police deputies, college professors, and backed by former prime ministers from both sides of the Australian aisle, brainstormed on how to approach their drug problem. As reported by The Guardian, the former Labor Premier of New South Wales, Bob…
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Can Australia respond to drugs more effectively and safely?
Roundtable report of law enforcement and other practitioners, researchers and advocates. Sydney, September 2015 […]
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Reducing drug harm through decriminalisation and regulation makes good sense
The case for a fundamental change in Australia’s drug strategy has been rendered even more compelling by the release of a report by some of the nation’s most well-informed people about a policy failure that continues to cause countless unnecessary deaths. […]
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Ice epidemic not a criminal issue: experts
The Australian government’s current approach to the ice epidemic is only “digging a deeper hole” and progressive policy is needed, say two drug addiction experts. A “harsh” approach is not just ineffective but counter-productive, Dr Matthew Frei and Dr Alex Wodak write in the Medical Journal of Australia. […]
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Thousands march against Duterte’s war on drugs, ‘violence culture’
Thousands of Catholic faithful gathered in the Philippine capital in a “show of force” today to protest against the extrajudicial killings in President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug war. The rally, called the “Walk for Life”, gathered 20,000 people, according to the organisers. […]
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Talking tough appeals more to pollies than fixing our drug problems
We need to decriminalise the personal use of drugs so people with problematic drug use are able to engage with our health services rather than hide for fear of prosecution. We must establish and build upon the innovative lifesaving programs that we know already work well — programs such as heroin…
