At Users News we often hear stories about people facing stigma when accessing OTP services. However, there’s always somewhere worse, and if the issue is stigmatisation of people who use drugs, that somewhere is often the USA. American harm reduction activist Danielle Russell was in Australia last year and was with a friend when they were picking up their methadone. She was totally blown away by the fact that her Australian friend was treated like a human. She wrote this article for Filter magazine when she returned to the US.

Maali wrote to UN and asked: “I am worried about using methadone as I get older because there are no obviously older people at my clinics. I am looking for my elders and I can’t see them. Where are the people in their 70s, 80s and 90s?”

Katrina is a peer distributor for NUAA in a small rural town in NSW. She’s known she’s had hep C for 6 years but has found it hard to get treated because of the lack of services in her area and past experiences of stigma within a health care setting.

Peer Worker Maureen Steele has been an active and influential peer worker for some 30 years. She has been inducted in the NUAA Hall of Fame for her tireless and outstanding commitment to our community.

They call it “liquid handcuffs” but for me the freedom was instant. Here’s why I am using methadone on the Opioid Treatment Program (OTP)

Here is some info about OTP was well as advice from peers.

Here is some info on OTP medications, as well as advice from peers.

This story is about a friend who would likely be alive today if he didn’t feel compelled to stop taking his life-saving medication.

We caught up with PAMS co-ordinator Sarah Lord to get the benefit of her years of experience in helping Victorians on OTP.

‘Some people will need higher than usual doses of methadone or buprenorphine for it to work properly for them. This might be because they have a high tolerance or an unusually fast metabolism…. I’m simply happy to be on the program and not be a human pin cushion anymore.’

‘'Because you can’t talk about it anywhere else, talking about injecting methadone with your peers is important.’'

‘One of the things I like about NUAA is that they give out wheel filters.’

Be honest with yourself – are you ready?

What are the rules around driving in the Opiate Treatment Program (OTP)? Can I drive? ? These FAQs come directly from community consultations and our answers are straight from official sources.

‘I need to know I have one person who has all the facts and will tell it to me like it is.’

Here are some tips for coming off methadone from someone who learned the lessons along the way.