Judy Ryan’s book describes, in meticulous detail, what it took for the Victorian government to trial the state’s first safe injecting facility, through the lens of a local Richmond resident.
- Senior Lecturer of Addiction, Edith Cowan University
Whipping cream canisters contain nitrous oxide, which some people use to get high. But going ahead with a proposal before the TGA to ban them altogether would be an overreaction.
Microdosing involves taking a low dose of a psychedelic drug to enhance performance, or reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety. Here’s what our research shows.
The TGA is currently evaluating a proposal to legalise MDMA and psilocybin for the treatment of mental illness. But there are a few reasons Australia isn’t quite ready to take this step.
The number of older people who drink heavily is increasing. Here’s why that’s a problem.
The ACT legislation conflicts with federal laws, which still prohibit the possession of cannabis. It’s unclear how police will respond and whether users could still be charged.
Schoolies and other leavers’ celebrations are a chance for teenagers to exert their independence and experiment with their identity as a young adult. And yes, you can help without losing your cool.
Addiction has multiple causes and just chalking it up to someone’s personality probably isn’t very helpful in dealing with it.
Australia is about to start its first trial of psychedelic drugs for the treatment of anxiety and depression. If the results are positive, this could transform the way we treat mental illness.
With several music festival patrons dying this year the pill testing debate is in full swing. Yet people can already purchase legally available test kits. Do they work?
Media-driven panic about drugs can create a perception more people are using the drug than they actually are, and when teens think ‘everyone’ is doing it, they are more likely to want to do it too.
There are sayings like “beer before liquor, never been sicker. Liquor before beer, you’re in the clear” - here we look at the evidence behind them.
Shalom House calls itself the ‘strictest drug rehabilitation centre in the country’ but evidence of its so-called success is anecdotal at best.
Let’s take claims about the value of drug seizures with a grain of salt.
Shaman have used the psychoactive effects of ayahuasca for spiritual and healing purposes for hundreds of years. But a new breed of tourist has discovered this plant-based drug.
Media reports tend to link violence to illicit drugs when alcohol is far more likely to be to blame.
There is a potential for significant harm in Australia if we don’t have adequate systems in place to monitor our drug markets and respond rapidly when specific dangers are detected.
Chemically, alcohol is a very simple molecule; however, its effects on the brain are quite complex.
The rate of risky drinking among young people is decreasing, while risky drinking among older adults is increasing.
The hyperbole used to describe the dangers of new drugs can be counterproductive. Rather than containing their spread, the media can act as advertisers for emerging substances.
The growing number of Australians illicitly using the drug clenbuterol to lose weight and build muscle mass are putting themselves at risk of heart attack, researchers say. Clenbuterol is legally prescribed…
A recent Norwegian study on psychedelic drugs and psychological well-being not only highlighted fewer mental health issues among users of these drugs but also underscored the reinvigoration of scientific…
NBOMe is an abbreviation for N-methoxybenzyl. While NBOMe is often referred to as a drug, it’s not a singular drug but a series of drugs that contain an N-methoxybenzyl group. The most common NBOMes that…
Synthetic cannabis is a lab-made product that mimics the effects of cannabis to give users a high when smoked. It has been sold in Australia since 2011 under various brand names, with a range of chemical…
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