Drug checking is gaining support overseas, with Australia’s ACT government planning to expand pill testing at events after a successful trial in May, and the UK Home Office last week stating that drug checking services are legal and it will not stand in the way of initiatives there. Allison believes it’s time the New Zealand government acted to support drug…

The latest poll carried out by The Drug Foundation found  89 percent of those surveyed believe medical cannabis should be legal or decriminalised for patients a terminal illness, up significantly on its 2017 survey (81%). 87 percent said it should be available for pain relief (78 percent in 2017). […]

A Better System for Better Outcomes Harm Reduction Australia and ScriptWise are calling for improvements in opioid treatment due to the current lack of availability, acceptability and affordability of treatment for affected Australians. National MATOD Summit Report 2018 […]

In April 2018, the ACT government and the AFP agreed to conduct a pill-testing trial at the Groovin the Moo music festival. On the day of the festival, 85 substances were tested on behalf of attendees. Two of the samples were found to contain highly toxic chemicals. The AFP agreed not to target people who used the testing service; instead, officers went…

Former ACT health minister and outgoing president of the World Federation of Public Health Associations  Michael Moore has renewed calls for a needle and syringe program in the Alexander Maconochie Centre, seven years after the ACT branch recommended one be set up. In an address on World Hepatitis Day, Mr Moore said while there had been breakthroughs in antiviral medicines, prevention was…

A new poll commissioned by the NZ Drug Foundation has found soaring public support for cannabis law reform. Support for legal or decriminalised access to cannabis for people with terminal pain has risen to 89 per cent, up from 81 per cent last year. The poll of 943 eligible voters took place between July 2-17. […]

The global elimination of hepatitis C as a public health threat will not be achievable unless we improve access to harm reduction services, de-stigmatise drug use and drug users, and improve the overall health of people who use drugs. […]

The maximum fine for cannabis possession will still quadruple under the laws, from $500 to $2000. The tough stance on cannabis possession had been criticised by Law Society president Tim Mellor as lacking “evidence-based justification”. “The Bill, in our view, fails to sufficiently recognise that drug addiction is a health issue rather than a criminal justice issue,” he said in a submission…

Harm Reduction Australia has written to the Federal, State & Territory Governments, as well as Opposition Leaders and Shadow Ministers to offer pill testing in their jurisdictions. See the letters here: Pill Testing letter to All Govts & Oppositions – July 2018 […]

Based on the direct experiences of law enforcement officers from across the globe, this report showcases alternatives to common punitive models for policing, and presents recommendations for how to incorporate new, evidence-based harm reduction approaches that aim to increase public safety, public health, and public confidence. […]