Alcohol wasn't mentioned once - not even once.

As PM Anthony Albanese addressed the country on the steps National Cabinet agreed to take to combat gender-based violence, alcohol's role in fuelling violence against women and children was again ignored.

The silence was deafening.

Important piece by David Caldicott & Mal McLeod in MJA Insight on Pill Testing Australia saving lives

David Caldicott Emma Davidson ACT ☀️ Ryan Park MP Cate Faehrmann 🌏🐨 Ingrid Stitt MP Aiv Puglielli MP Rachel Payne MP Tammy Franks MLC WA Health Natasha Fyles Rosalie Woodruff 🌿💚

insightplus.mja.com.au/2024/16/pill-t…

In this episode of Addiction Audio, Ben Scher talks to Adam Bakker and colleagues about benzodiazepines, opioids, treatment and research. Listen here: buff.ly/4aSXvbe #OpenScience

In rejecting a 2nd SIF for Melb CBD the Vic Gov claimed they were ‘unable to find a balance between supporting people who use drugs and the needs of the wider community’. Guess what? People who use drugs ARE part of the wider community! Our needs are community needs! #EndStigma

New research led by Tony Barnett with Kiran Pienaar Dan Lubman Shalini Arunogiri vicky phan Michael Savic in International Journal of Drug Policy has examined patients’ experiences of depot buprenorphine treatment, with implications for health promotion and clinical practice.

sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

Can weight loss drugs like Ozempic help treat addictions to alcohol, opioids or other substances? 💉

As Shalini Arunogiri (@MonashUni) + colleagues (@TheFlorey, University of Melbourne) write, the animal studies are promising – but early research in humans show mixed results. theconversation.com/can-a-drug-lik…

No words.

Hope people are travelling ok today. People have given a lot of themselves to advocate for this.

Important community Drug Alert about MDMA in Canberra from our ACT member organisation 💛 @CAHMA CAHMA
Take good care of yourself everyone and if you are unsure of what's in your stuff, make sure to go to @CanTEST

Opioids more potent than #fentanyl have been detected in Australia. So what are #nitazenes ?

Suzanne Nielsen PhD MPS with Amanda Roxburgh & Richard Armour explain in the The Conversation - Australia + New Zealand with a discussion about potential harms & recommendations.

theconversation.com/opioids-more-p…

Brilliant first day at WHSMelbourne2024 #WHSMelbourne2024
Inspiring to see the The Global Commission on Drug Policy (GCDP) and #drugpolicy feature in the conference program on #globalhealth , thanks to the work of commissioners & Chair Adeeba Kamarulzaman and Helen Clark

A productive interdisciplinary discussion

Have you ever had a challenging or traumatic experience with psychedelics that continued to affect you even after the acute effects of the substance had worn off?

Please consider taking part in this anonymous online survey.

psychedelicsandtrauma.net

Lucky to work with a fab team on this paper, which found many barriers to prescribing medicinal cannabis in Australia (e.g. clinical capabilities, unapproved therapeutic good status, negative attitudes towards prescribers in the medical community, beliefs about clinical utility).

New in International Journal of Drug Policy-Clients’ experiences of depot #buprenorphine for #opioid dependence - Clinicians might find useful to spk w/ppl RE how depot feels in body, supports external to depot, & #harmreduction (incl. consuming opioids; overdose reversal) bit.ly/3Q9dysV

AIHW AOD treatment report reveals soaring demand with 92888 treatment episodes in Vic during 22/23. Highest on record for Vic.
Demand for #Alcohol treatment was also highest on record for Vic, with a 50% increase in demand since the pandemic.
#Springst

vaada.org.au/wp-content/upl…

This month, the Hamilton Centre marks its first birthday!

So far, the Centre has transformed mental health and addiction care and launched its innovative Education & Training Program, now available via hamiltoncentre.org.au/events/our-tra…

Looking forward to joining ABC RN Radio National tomorrow at 0905 to join the Life Matters team and discuss #psychedelic assisted therapy #PAT

Tune in at abc.net.au/listen/program… to hear about implementation in Australia, knowns & unknowns, and about our trial Prof Kirsten Morley

Happy Tamil New Year to all who are celebrating ♥️

Selamat #HariRayaAidilfitri to all who are celebrating, and to friends and family in Australia and Malaysia
A time for celebrations and gratitude 🙏🏾