Tourniquet Refresher Course: The Why & the How and the Pitfalls!
Some people who inject drugs don’t have much trouble finding veins, and don’t need to use a tourniquet, while others have always used them as part of their injecting practice. Other people decide to add tournies to their injecting routine as they get older and their veins get harder to find over time. We thought it was timely to do a bit of a review so people could develop or update skills and techniques in using tournies to get the most out of them.
A peer’s guide to the ACT pill testing service – By one of its creators, Chris Gough, Executive Director of CAHMA
ACT’s new pill testing service, called CanTEST Health and Drug Checking Service, has opened, and Users News got the low-down from Chris Gough, who is the Executive Director (ED) of ACT’s Drug User Organisation (DUO), Canberra Alliance for Harm Minimisation & Advocacy (CAHMA). Chris is one of the peers who has played an important role in getting the service running.
What happens when police stop you on the street and you start shaking? | Shane’s Story
Most of society doesn’t realise this stuff happens. Shane is a peer worker who lives and breathes NUAA’s mission to advance the health, rights and dignity of people who use drugs. Unfortunately, Shane is regularly stopped by police and his healthy fear of police means he can barely breathe around them — which makes him look even more suspicious.
Why aren’t people in rural areas getting the new ‘game-changing’ hep C treatments? | Katrina’s Story
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.
The dirty shot and the bone-eating bacteria
Matthew has a big scar, with an even bigger story. He says it’s the “what not to do” tale that completely changed the way he injects.
Stigma and discrimination in the justice system
Drug and Alcohol Multicultural Education Centre (DAMEC) held focus groups to give a voice to people living in Western Sydney, who are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and who use drugs, around their experience of incarceration.
Diversionary Tactics: A short history of halfway measures on drug law reform in Victoria
What’s going on with the battle for the decriminalisation of drugs in Victoria, Australia? Harm Reduction Victoria’s CEO, Sione Crawford gives us the lowdown.
Strong vote for Legalise Cannabis candidate in Queensland
Post-election Interview with Bernie Bradley, Queensland Legalise Cannabis Party
Ross’s 20+ year journey towards hep C treatment
“I was so run down all the time, drugs were the only way to give me energy and improve my mood”
The wonderful world of reagent testing
Peer expert Oat gets us started on the basics to introduce a UN-exclusive series of resources and articles on pill testing.
Vaping nicotine – making the switch from smoking tobacco | By Dr Colin Mendelsohn
The step-by-step guide for people who want to start vaping but don’t know how.
Being disrespected by the doctor
Siobhan was stunned into silence by her patronising doctor. While that time she made a strategic decision not to confront him, now she demands health workers show her the respect that she deserves.
Finding a Proper Doctor
Wayne was finding stigma a barrier to even getting health complaints diagnosed, let alone treated. That's why, finding a professional, non-stigmatising doctor was like “a breath of fresh air”.
Finding health workers that put me at ease
Molly talks about how some health workers made her unwilling to be open about recreational drug use. And the slightly unorthodox way some ER workers put her at ease.
Take charge! 10 tips to reduce Cravings
Dr Lachlan McPhail, psychiatrist with the Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network, has expertise in helping people who want to reduce or stop their drug use to manage cravings and triggers. Here’s his top tips.
Miranda Project: Working with women after jail
Gail Gray is a proud First Nation Wiradjuri Woman who grew up on Gadigal land in Sydney. Gail spent over 15 years in and out of NSW jails. She has now spent 15 years using her lived experience to help women in the justice system. Gail talked to NUAA about how her choices led her to the Community Restorative Centre (CRC) as a caseworker with the Miranda Project.
Father and Son
Parenting is tricky. Scott is a dad who uses drugs. He tells us about the ups and downs of fatherhood, including his experience giving harm reduction advice to his son.
Healthcare for All! Hurdles for overseas visitors who use drugs
People from overseas may face particular challenges seeking health care such as hepatitis C assessment, treatment and care.
We Live It Daily: Stories of Discrimination, Stigma, Harassment and Racism
For Aboriginal people in Australia, police harassment is a daily fact of life. For Aboriginal people who use drugs, this is doubly so.