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24.01.2022 Grossly exaggerating the price of drugs is an effective way of justifying police use of resources to fight the war on drugs.

24.01.2022 Just as the media should not cut and paste media releases from organizations like the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission each time they send their slick PR package to journalists around Australia with the results of each wastewater analysis (i.e., which city is the meth capital of Australia this year?), journalists should also be wary of press releases from #psychedelic start ups and corporations making a bunch of claims that aim to sign up new investors or lift their share prices. Journalists should always be wearing their critical thinking hat and obtain comments from independent experts. https://www.psymposia.com//psychedelic-science-media-corp/

24.01.2022 We would like to thank the AOD peaks for their on going support, with this piece published by the Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies. https://www.linkedin.com//stopping-stigma-source-dr-steph/

24.01.2022 The Australian is reporting that the police charged with George Floyd's death are arguing that he died from a drug overdose. This is despite coronial investigations that have concluded that his death was homicide. Seems like a long bow to draw. What do you think? #BlackLivesMatter https://www.theaustralian.com.au//048680432dbf412588492b3f

23.01.2022 After YouTube's faceless algorithms knocked us off mid-live stream, we now have one complete video, as it was meant to be presented (more or less). This was part of the extended content offered by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) production team for Shaun Micallef's On The Sauce. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auY99APuHC0

22.01.2022 FAKE NEWS from the The West Australian newspaper today aimed at creating moral panic. First, methamphetamine containing fentanyl is hardly "supermeth" since people who use it are going to be a lot less "meth-like" as fentanyl is a depressant. Second, the statement that this has hit the Perth streets is not supported by any evidence. In fact, the drug expert quoted, Professor Steve Alsop, who is a friend of AOD MW, is quoted on page 3: "it would be terrible *IF* it got into our community".

22.01.2022 Our second VLOG examines Dr Bright's experience in making a formal complaint to the Australian Press Council about the Daily Telegraph accusing him of "skewing" data on the effectiveness of pill-testing. The front page story alleged Dr Bright had provided evidence in a Sydney Coroners Court, when in actuality he was on a flight to Sydney from Perth. The story also refered to a report submitted to the court that did not mention Dr Bright's work. We hope his experience will ins...pire more people to lodge complaints with the Australian Press Council, and to assist us in calling out poor journalism. Featuring Dr Barratt & journalist Jenny Valentish. Produced by Nick Wallis and Enpsychedelia https://youtu.be/vWwlbIkQyuE

19.01.2022 The release of an evaluation demonstrating the positive impact that the Melbourne Medically Supervised Injecting Room has led to a recommendation that a second site be established. However, 7NEWS Australia and 9 News presented a very different picture. https://www.aodmediawatch.com.au/residents-government-and-/

19.01.2022 AOD Media Watch congratulates Channel Nine's 60 Minutes Australia on its recent coverage of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, featuring an Australian policeman who participated in a US-based trial of MDMA-assisted treatment resistant PTSD. This sensitive topic was presented in a balanced way, which raises the bar for constructive media reporting on psychedelic-assisted therapies. https://www.aodmediawatch.com.au/60-minutes-try-psychedeli/

18.01.2022 The title of The Sydney Morning Herald story is a bit misleading since it is not the TGA, but Mind Medicine Australia that is pushing for changes. The changes would not "legalize" MDMA treatment any more than it currently is given psychiatrists can already apply for an SAS-B application to provide this treatment legally. Regardless, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists are not supportive of the proposed changes, stating "while the college was supportive of a clinical trial being undertaken", "it would be 'premature' for #psychedelic medicines to be approved for general use" https://www.smh.com.au//regulator-weighs-push-to-legalise-

16.01.2022 And here's the terrible TV report from this boot licking journo. Notice how she speaks to literally no one else other than officer-knows-best? Psilocybe m...ushrooms are not physiologically dangerous. Picking the wrong mushroom can be. Psilocybin experiences can be harrowing - The statement is "To fathom hell or soar angelic", not "To have a good time and giggle a little". Set and setting are absolutely vital considersations for anyone wanting to explore psilocybin. You can find out plenty of information from places like: Erowid Center erowid.org Shroomery shroomery.org PMANZ Australian Psychedelic Society - APS

16.01.2022 Following significant concerns about a series of pieces by the Herald Sun earlier this year reporting on the Melbourne Medically Supervised Injecting Room (MSIR), a complaint was submitted to the Australian Press Council (APC). The APC dismissed this complaint. The complaint cited concerns about the capacity of a person to give informed consent immediately after an overdose to provide a video interview in which the person can be identified. AOD Media Watch published two separate articles last year concerning the Herald Sun’s reporting about the MSIR. The Australian Press Council doesn’t believe there is anything wrong with the Herald Sun’s conduct. We do. What do you think? https://www.aodmediawatch.com.au/more-poor-reporting-from-/

15.01.2022 The NT News claims Meth heads flourish in NT... then acknowledge that meth use has actually reduced in the same article. Are people who get sucked in by drug panic headlines disappointed when the publication acknowledges their own misinformation? Greg Denham reports. https://www.aodmediawatch.com.au/quit-meth-while-youre-ahe/

14.01.2022 Our live stream is still up and running! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrwBOhnnMPY

13.01.2022 The Daily Telegraph ran a story on "NSW illegal drug hot spots", in which it reported on the 30/10/2020 that "The idyllic Newcastle seaside suburb of Merewether recorded 268 narcotics dealers more than four times as many as Mt Druitt in Sydney’s west". ABC's Paul Barry said this was "a stunning achievement for the popular beachside suburb, given that it’s home to only around 11,000 residents" Wait what?!? "The Bureau of Crime Statistics actually says is the Merewether figu...re of 268 records the number of drug incidents, not drug dealers. Whoops. How many drug dealers were busted in Merewether then? Just two! And it could all have been avoided with a simple phone call to the bureau in the first place." https://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/episodes/drugs/12775996

13.01.2022 Story Link: aodmediawatch.com.au/are-you-a-vulnerable-celebrity-why-no/ Published 17th April 2020 On the evening Sunday the 29th of March, Channel Seven aired a one hour program about former AFL player Ben Cousins called Coming Clean. In the opening sequence, the audience is greeted with footage of Ben from ten years ago, polished and media-trained. I hope this documentary can send a powerful message about how addiction affects your life, he warns, before the camera cuts... dramatically to Ben in 2020. It’s a shock. He stares straight at the camera, media-friendly smile wiped away, visibly aged, a long beard and shaggy ponytail obscuring much of his face. He croakily finishes the spiel that former Ben began: But I feel there are some real lessons to be learnt here. And I think some good can come from it, for everyone Author: Katie Horneshaw, Op Ed columnist and features writer Reviewers: Dr Stephen Bright, Senior Lecturer of Addiction at Edith Cowan University Dr Liam Engel, Adjunct Research Fellow at Edith Cowan University Video production and host: Nick Wallis, Producer at Enpsychedelia | 3cr.org.au/enpsychedelia Clips Used: 7NEWS Australia Presents: Ben Cousins - Coming Clean 7plus.com.au/ben-cousins-coming-clean Nine News Perth - Ex-AFL star Ben Cousins facing months in jail youtube.com/watch?v=EeyRn32PmSE Creative Commons licensed material: Blear Moon - Fallow freemusicarchive.org/music/Blear_Moon Rod Hamilton & Tiffany Seal freemusicarchive.org/music/Rod_Hamilton__Tiffany_Seal

10.01.2022 The proposed rescheduling of MDMA and psilocybin is likely to remain in the media over the next six months while the TGA makes its decision. Journalists have a responsibility to report accurately on this story - as with every AOD story - else they risk undoing decades of hard work through inciting moral panic and government overreaction. We've put together this handy guide to help explain just what is and what is not happening with the current 'legalisation' of MDMA and psilocybin. https://www.aodmediawatch.com.au/psychedelics-and-the-tga-/

09.01.2022 Do you have any ideas about how to "plant the seed" of community advocacy when it comes to media reporting of AOD-related issue? Entheogenesis Australis - EGA - Planting Psychedelic Seeds are calling for short video submissions ranging between 28 secs - 6:28 that will be streamed at their event on the 28/6. https://www.entheogenesis.org//EGA-2020-A4-Video-Info_v2.p

06.01.2022 Since launching at the 2016 VAADA conference, AOD Media Watch have published over 50 pieces that have provided constructive feedback to journalists on the way in which their reporting has perpetuated misinformation, moral panics and stigma. Our most recent piece is different. Dr Stephen Bright documents his experience of being personally attacked and defamed by Dailytelegraph.com.au last year. He took this up with the Australian Press Council which took significant time, effort and an emotional toll. We hope that his story might inspire more people to get involved with the AOD Media Watch project. https://www.aodmediawatch.com.au/been-skewed-over-by-the-d/

05.01.2022 Our second VLOG will be premiering at about 1330 AEST at this free event. Even if you are not that interested in psychedelics, we recommend you check out a few of the segments as it looks like it's going to be very eclectic and packed full of interesting information.

05.01.2022 According to WAtoday.com.au, "homebake heroin" is hitting Perth streets. Their source? Peter Lyndon James who runs the private residential service Shalom House. Peter is not media shy and we have reported on his efforts in the past to drum up business: https://www.aodmediawatch.com.au/what-is-success-in-drug-r/ So what evidence is there that "homebake heorin" is hitting Perth Streets? Well nothing apart from this anecdote from one of Peter's clients, who said: "You're changi...ng the chemical make up of morphine and bringing the morphine closer to being heroin." Sorry to state the obvious, but that is how diacetylmorphine (aka heroin) is usually made! It would have been better for journalist Michael Genovese to have asked some real experts in the field (e.g., epidemiologists, toxicologists, etc.) rather than exploiting one of Peter's current clients. WA journalists should be wary of framing Peter as a drug expert, particularly given that he has a vested interested in promoting his clinic, which is not evidence-based, but based on Peter's own experience of recovering from methamphetamine use disorder. https://www.watoday.com.au//homebake-heroin-how-covid-19-h

04.01.2022 Cranbourne Leader has settled on a cruel strategy to drive engagement: publish grossly sensationalized headlines about local people who've come in contact with the law for alcohol or drug use, whipping readers into a frenzy of finger-pointing and blame in the process. Sarah Stivens explains why this tactic is so harmful, both to the everyday individuals at the centre of the reporting, and the community at large. https://www.aodmediawatch.com.au/please-like-me-politician/

04.01.2022 Sensationalist news via dailymail.com stating "A government-funded organisation is urging drug addicts to stock up on illicit substances to avoid being left short of supplies during COVID-19 lockdowns". Really?!? That wasn't the key message we took from this statement from TurningPoint. What do you think? https://www.dailymail.co.uk//How-taxpayers-funding-service

03.01.2022 Last week we published a piece about Channel Seven’s documentary on Ben Cousins. We questioned whether Ben was of sound mind when he accepted the money from Seven to do the interviews. On Wednesday he was arrested by police for possession of methamphetamine. - Did the money provided to him by Seven pay for it? - Did watching the horrendous footage on Seven lead to a relapse? We don’t know. But we do know that Seven’s behaviour was unethical.