Well Well Well

19 Jan 2024

Drug Checking and Pill Testing – Harm Reduction Summer Series Part 1

Alcohol & Drug Harm Reduction

James from Victorian Alcohol & Drug Association (VAADA) helps us navigate drug checking and minimising drug related harms for LGBTIQA+ communities. In light of the Greens, Legalise Cannabis, and Animal Justice Party’s proposed bill on drug checking and harms at summer festivals, we’re thankful to James and VAADA for their time.

VAADA works to prevent and reduce Alcohol and Drug-related harms in the Victorian community by ensuring the people experiencing those harms, and the organisations that support them, are well-represented in policy, program development and public discussion.

Find VAADA online at

• vaada.org.au
• Facebook: facebook.com/VictorianAlcoholandDrugAssociation
• X / Twitter: twitter.com/vaadaenews

Alcohol and Drug resources

• Alcohol and Drug Services at Thorne Harbour Health including Rainbow Recovery, Walk In Program, and  TAPS thorneharbour.org/services/alcohol-and-other-drug-services-aod
• HRV and the Dancewize program hrvic.org.au/dancewize 
• ADF Drug Facts adf.org.au/drug-facts
• The Loop wearetheloop.org
• Touchbase touchbase.org.au
• Sesh.ed instagram.com/sesh.ed
• HIV Drug Interactions Checker, including HIV treatment and PrEP: hiv-druginteractions.org/checker  

Check out our other JOY Podcasts for more on LGBTIQ+ health & wellbeing.

If there’s something you’d like us to explore on the show, send through ideas or questions at wellwellwell@joy.org.au

Find out more about LGBTIQ+ services and events in Victoria at Thorne Harbour Health and in South Australia at SAMESH.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:50 — 63.7MB) | Embed

Subscribe or Follow Us: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Deezer | RSS

29 Jan 2026

Pill Testing at Street Party

Alcohol & Drug Harm Reduction, Community, Midsumma, Thorne Harbour Health (VAC)

Sarah Hiley, Drug Checking Director at The Loop Australia joins Jack to discuss the Victorian Pill Testing Service and its ...

22 Jan 2026

THH Vogue Night and St Kilda History Walk

Art, Community, Drag, Midsumma, Thorne Harbour Health (VAC)

Jack speaks with Julai Diesel ahead of the THH Vogue Night event running during Midsumma and discuss what the ballroom ...

15 Jan 2026

Wise Words and Midsumma Carnival Cancer Screening

Advocacy and Activism, Art, Health, Midsumma, Thorne Harbour Health (VAC)

Wise Words returns this Midsumma to feature a line-up of some of Australia's most prominent and talented LGBTIQ+ women (trans ...