The holiday season can be a challenging time for many people who use drugs. While December and January are traditionally times of celebration and family gatherings, they're also periods when overdose risks increase. The combination of social pressures, emotional stress, an easy access to alcohol and other drugs creates a perfect storm for potential harms.  

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?”

Bridie and Pandora are two older women who share some of their changes — the things they have learnt — from the practical to the philosophical