Well Well Well

21 Feb 2019

Drug Harm Reduction – Pill Testing

Alcohol & Drug Harm Reduction, Society & Culture

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Harm reduction around the use of recreational drugs has always been a controversial topic to discuss. This week on Well Well Well we look at the facts, the health benefits and the reduced harms associated with drug harm reduction, in particular, pill testing.

Dr. Matthew Dunn, a drug and alcohol researcher who focuses largely on substance use and harm joins us today to share his valuable insight. We explore policies, attitudes, misconceptions and behaviour of substance use in Australia. We also look at the evidence supporting the benefits of pill testing and the barriers we face moving forward.

Kate Pern who leads a joint project between Thorne Harbour and STAR Health called the PARTI (peer-advocacy response training initiative) Project then joins us to chat about working directly with venues. The PARTI Project educates party-goers and their peers on the substances they may be using and how to reduce harms so they can make informed decisions about their partying behaviour.

The PARTI Project also provides free training for venue staff as well as security guards on how to best keep people safe in their venues – focusing on how to recognise and respond to different drug-related harms or sexual assault.

We also discuss some practical tips around partying safe and poly drug-use to take away from this podcast.

Useful Links:
Parti Project
For more information about the free training Parti Project Provide, email Parti.Project@thorneharbour.org
www.facebook.com/PARTiproject

Touchbase
Reliable information around alcohol & other drugs for the LGBTI community
www.touchbase.org.au