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Penington Institute

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23.01.2022 Zak Butters is a star of the AFL. In this interview with the Herald Sun, he opens up about his career, life growing up in Darley, and his sister's journey through dependence and recovery. Every time a public figure talks honestly about drug-related issues, it becomes easier for a person to seek help without stigma.... Drug use can affect anyone. The more we break down the barriers to talking about it, the more we can reduce its most harmful impacts. https://www.heraldsun.com.au//e5587801492e2fd4679907c0466e

23.01.2022 We have released our Annual Overdose Report 2020. It reveals that more than 2,000 Australians have died of overdose for the fifth straight year. That is one of a wealth of findings. ... Learn more about them. including what is happening in your state or territory, in this video with our CEO John Ryan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrXvXqsBI7E

22.01.2022 Our CEO John Ryan spoke to ABC NewsRadio this morning about findings from Australias Annual Overdose Report 2020. As John says, its not just illegal drugs that are causing overdoses. Its the pharmaceutical drugs often in combination with alcohol, and sometimes with illegal drugs as well. Listen here: https://ab.co/3gKiujg... #EndOverdose

21.01.2022 Six South Australians have presented to hospital following suspected GHB overdoses. The harms associated with GHB are increasing. Penington Institute is preparing a GHB Factsheet which we will soon share on our website and with our communities.... https://www.news.com.au///a1b00edea88b52f26c10f95bea78c47d

20.01.2022 Opioids are the main drug type involved in overdose deaths in Australia. Learn more about opioid dependence, and if it could be affecting someone you care for. https://lifesavers.global/

20.01.2022 Our friends at Painaustralia have released the 100th issue of their e-news (congrats!). It includes a guest piece by our CEO, John Ryan. John discusses some of the main findings of Australia's Annual Overdose Report 2020, the failures of our current approach to drugs, and some humane, evidence-based responses that will help to reduce drug-related harms.... https://www.painaustralia.org.au//annual-overdose-report-2

20.01.2022 Australia is experiencing a critical shortage of key drugs, including antidepressants. We don't know the whole story about why. But one of the reasons could be an unprecedented increase in demand, brought about by the stress of #COVID19.... https://www.theguardian.com//australia-experiencing-critic

20.01.2022 "But the greatest costs by far were related to crime including policing, prosecution and an estimated $1.1 billion spend on imprisonment." Our approach to cannabis takes resources away from more important policing and gives more power to criminal groups. https://www.canberratimes.com.au//cannabis-use-costing-45/

20.01.2022 Australia's Annual Overdose Report 2020 contains a wealth of findings, including that overdose deaths are higher than road toll. Watch John Ryan, CEO of Penington Institute discuss this issue. Learn more: //youtu.be/ZrXvXqsBI7E

19.01.2022 Restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19 have significantly disrupted the lives of both people who use drugs and the NSP workers who support these clients. The consequences include anxiety, isolation, decreased tolerance to drugs and changes to drug availability and price. In the new issue of The Bulletin, hear from workers and researchers about how the pandemic changed their world.... Read it on the new website now: https://bulletin.penington.org.au//may-june-20/viral-load/

19.01.2022 ICYMI | From today, face coverings are mandatory if you are out in public in metro Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire. If you are caught without one, you can expect a $200 fine. We have produced this resource with all the information you need to know such as what counts as a mask, and where they can be found.... It can be found on our page of specialist #COVID19 resources: https://www.penington.org.au/covid-19/ If you work in the NSP and harm reduction sectors, please download it and share it widely. It will help keep your clients safe.

19.01.2022 The Tasmanian Government has responded to the increasing risks of opioid overdoses as a result of #COVID19 by announcing a new trial of free take-home naloxone. The trial will be available through primary NSP sites across the state. http://www.premier.tas.gov.au//free_take-home_naloxone_tri

18.01.2022 Yesterday we released Australia's Annual Overdose Report 2020. It shows that we are in the grip of an overdose crisis. More people die of overdoses than on the roads and the gap is getting bigger. Much more must be done in response.... Read more about the Report and get your copy: https://www.penington.org.au/publicat/2020-overdose-report/

17.01.2022 Australia's Annual Overdose Report 2020, released on Monday, reveals that more than 500 people in NSW died from accidental overdoses for five years in a row. Sky News Australia reports on this important issue: https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6186098672001

16.01.2022 Today is World Hepatitis Day. The NSP sector and harm reduction services play a vital role in keeping people who inject drugs safer in relation to hepatitis B and C. This great campaign has an ambitious objective to eliminate hepatitis by 2030.... #WorldHepatitisDay http://www.worldhepatitisday.org.au/

16.01.2022 Who knows that role facemasks will play in future International Overdose Awareness Days? But they are part of #IOAD2020. To mark the day today, Ballarat Health staff wore purple facemasks featuring the #EndOverdose hashtag.... Promoting overdose awareness and helping stop the spread of coronavirus all at once is a great idea. Thanks Ballarat Community Health for supporting IOAD.

15.01.2022 Yesterday, we released Australias Annual Overdose Report 2020. Among its many concerning findings: The overdose toll is greater than the road toll and the gap is widening.... 75% of all overdose deaths are accidental. Men are three times likelier than women to die of an unintentional overdose. Get the Report and much more on our specialty page: https://www.penington.org.au/2020-overdose-report/

15.01.2022 Overdose does not discriminate against rich or poor, city or region. At Penington Institute, we are committed to breaking the stigma and pushing for change. These tragedies are preventable.... https://www.penington.org.au/publicat/2020-overdose-report/

14.01.2022 Border closures caused by COVID-19 have increased volatility in local drug supplies. Although in some cases this has led to decreases in use, it poses huge risks of people using novel combinations of drugs. This great ABC piece has more.... https://www.abc.net.au//pandemic-fuels-new-cockta/12722600

14.01.2022 Overdose does not discriminate against rich or poor, city or country. 40% of overdose deaths happen to people aged over 50. It's time for us all to face up to this issue. Read Australia's Annual Overdose Report 2020 here: https://www.penington.org.au/publicat/2020-overdose-report/

14.01.2022 As of Tuesday, #Amazon has been begun selling prescription medications in the United States. Even for a retailer that has always pushed boundaries, this feels like a big and potentially transformative step in how people obtain and consume medications. https://www.vox.com//amazon-prescription-drugs-pharmacy-pi

14.01.2022 International Overdose Awareness Day is coming up on August 31st. The campaign, which Penington Institute convenes, aims to raise awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma of drug-related death. Last year was a record year.... This year, in a world where COVID-19 is increasing risks for people who use drugs, our campaign matters more than ever. To learn more about supporting the campaign, please visit the website. https://bit.ly/2gnwy8X #EndOverdose #OverdoseAware

14.01.2022 Do you work in the harm reduction sector? Then you should be a subscriber to the NSP Forum a dedicated email discussion group for harm reduction-related issues. Join hundreds of other practitioners, researchers and advocates and subscribe today.... https://www.penington.org.au/subscribe/

13.01.2022 For the fifth year in a row, more than 2,000 Australians have died of overdoses. There is much more to be done but at a minimum, we need an overdose educated and empowered community. Read Australia's Annual Overdose Report 2020 here:... https://www.penington.org.au/publicat/2020-overdose-report/ See more

12.01.2022 70% of accidental overdoses happen to men. Read Australia's Annual Overdose Report 2020 here: https://www.penington.org.au/publicat/2020-overdose-report/

12.01.2022 Everything you need to know about Australias Annual Overdose Report 2020 is on our dedicated landing page. Find infographics. Find videos. Read Penington Institute CEO John Ryans foreword. Download the report. And much more: https://bit.ly/2YODgIA... #EndOverdose

12.01.2022 We are releasing our Annual Overdose Report 2020 on the 20th International Overdose Awareness Day. This campaign is about ending overdose, remembering without stigma those we have lost, and recognising the grief of those left behind. Learn more here: https://www.overdoseday.com

12.01.2022 Real-time prescription monitoring is often held up as a potential "silver bullet" to reducing opioid-related harms. However, as this piece for Australian Prescriber explains, this approach has risks and unintended consequences. Penington Institute once again urges our governments to be cautious when it comes to the implementation of real-time prescription monitoring. The risks of locking people out of much-needed care are very real.... https://www.nps.org.au//real-time-prescription-monitoring-

11.01.2022 It was exceptionally quiet in Melbourne last night. It was exceptionally purple too. Thank to our Melbourne friends Transurban, City of Melbourne, Public Transport Victoria, Melbourne Star Observation Wheel for supporting #IOAD2020 by lighting up purple.... Thanks for helping us send a powerful message of support to families affected by overdose on International Overdose Awareness Day.

11.01.2022 "After 40 years in public service, including 32 years in policing, I know that no family, community, culture, socio-economic group or individual is safe from addiction." We recommend this piece in Australian Strategic Policy Institute from our board member, and sitting Canadian senator, Vern White. https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/australia-needs-drug-tes/

10.01.2022 This SBS News story is a good example of responsible, evidence-based reporting about drug use that listens to the experts. We are pleased to have been part of it. https://bit.ly/3gNN6QW

10.01.2022 If there’s a ‘typical’ alcohol and other drug (AOD) client in Australia, what are his or her characteristics? How old are they, where do they live, what’s their main drug of concern and who provides their treatment? This month’s issue of The Bulletin examines data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare to highlight key facts and figures about AOD treatment services and the clients they serve.... Read it on the new website now: https://bulletin.penington.org.au//may-ju/scotch-ice-coke/

10.01.2022 This article in the New York Times briefly mentions International Overdose Awareness Day. For that, we are grateful. But far more importantly it profiles Peter Krykant. This year, Peter started a mobile supervised injecting room (run out of a van he bought with his own money) in Glasgow, which is currently in the grips of its worst-ever overdose crisis.... Per capita, more people die of overdoses in Scotland than in the United States. Despite this, supervised injecting rooms are not legal in the United Kingdom, of which Scotland is a member. So Peter has assumed the responsibility of saving lives himself. As the article says, almost all of the interventions that work to help people were started through civil disobedience." What Peter does is no different. We believe he is a hero. https://www.nytimes.com//e/scotland-glasgow-drugs-van.html

09.01.2022 "Some people turn to drugs to distract them from despair or isolation, while some are people with little hope for their futures, including the financially insecure and those who have lost their jobs." - John Ryan, CEO of Penington Institute.

09.01.2022 Its Homelessness Week 2020. This years theme is Everybody Needs a Home. According to Homelessness Australia, almost 120,000 Australians were homeless every night before COVID-19.... Now, Australians are at greater risk of losing their jobs and of experiencing homelessness. Were big supporters of Homelessness Week 2020 and the work of homelessness service providers across Australia. https://bit.ly/3fow8b9 #HW2020 #BuildSocialHousing

09.01.2022 Our CEO John Ryan spoke to 9 News for this piece about Australias Annual Overdose Report 2020, released yesterday. Overdose deaths in Australia far exceed drowning fatalities and road deaths. Just as John says, the ripple effect of overdose is huge.... We are suffering through a multi-generational disaster. Read more here: https://bit.ly/3jBFx1x #EndOverdose

09.01.2022 Opioid dependence can happen to anyone. Learn more about it and how it can affect you and your loved ones: https://lifesavers.global/ .

07.01.2022 Hundreds of you have engaged with the Annual Overdose Report 2020 which we released last Monday. But there are plenty of other informative videos on our YouTube channel, including this short video about responding to an overdose. Check it out now.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BXFGFQW81s

07.01.2022 The Victorian Government has announced it will establish a group to work towards treating medicinal cannabis the same as any prescription medication under the state's road laws. Banning patients who have been prescribed medicinal cannabis from driving is unfair and goes against established evidence. The plan will be drafted over coming months in consultation with MPs, police and doctors and expected to be implemented early next year.... Our congratulations to Fiona Patten MP and others for their tireless advocacy on this issue, which has today produced a much-needed commitment and a great result. https://www.theage.com.au//drivers-using-medicinal-cannabi

07.01.2022 In July, our team began the Overdose Tribute, a photo memorial to loved ones lost. Every day, a photo is uploaded with a single premise that every person is worth remembering. Please follow and, if appropriate, consider sharing a tribute of your own.... https://www.instagram.com/overdosetribute/

06.01.2022 Our CEO John Ryan has a piece in the Newcastle Herald about the Annual Overdose Report 2020. In the five years between 2014 to 2018, 226 Newcastle and Hunter residents died of unintentional overdoses a shocking 56 per cent more than the previous five years.

06.01.2022 As the Honourable Vern White argues in his piece for Asia and the Pacific Policy Society, multiple sources including our own Annual Overdose Report make it clear that Australia's law enforcement approach to drugs simply isn't working. It is time for a new approach which treats dependence as a health issue, recognises the dignity of people, and goes beyond supply reduction. https://www.policyforum.net/is-it-time-for-a-drug-policy-i/

06.01.2022 An interesting article that covers Penington Institute's latest report's findings that 78 people in Port Phillip died from overdose in the five years to 2018. It also provides insights from members of the Richmond community and their experience having a safe injecting room in their area. https://www.heraldsun.com.au//3063c21a24c5123284d580dc786d

06.01.2022 Our CEO John Ryan and our Deputy CEO Dr. Stephen McNally spoke with WIN News Cairns about our Annual Overdose Report 2020, which shows Queensland recording 10 consecutive years of 200+ overdose deaths.

06.01.2022 On Monday night, some iconic #Brisbane landmarks lit up purple to support #IOAD2020 and the families affected by overdose. Our sincere thanks to Brisbane City Council for joining this year's campaign, and Andrew Francis for his photos. #EndOverdose #OverdoseAware

05.01.2022 This week is Anti-Poverty Week. More than 3 million Australians, including 774,000 children, live below the poverty line. Although drug harms occur across the socioeconomic spectrum, the most impoverished people who use drugs face profound barriers to their health and wellbeing.

05.01.2022 For some people who use drugs, physical violence is a fact of everyday life as they battle to defend their position and secure their supply. Tom de Souza shares his very personal story which explores the convergence of drug use, violence and mental health issues. It’s one of four powerful feature articles in this month’s issue of The Bulletin.... Read it on the new website now: https://bulletin.penington.org.au//may-june-2/hard-knocks/

05.01.2022 You hear it all the time: people can stop using drugs "if they really want" they just don't have the will-power. You wouldn't say that about Sergeant Ian Turner. His story is an example of the many complex factors that often contribute to drug use.... https://www.abc.net.au//soldier-admitted-ptsd-alc/12785148

04.01.2022 Today, we release Australia's Annual Overdose Report 2020. It reveals that more than 2,000 Australians have died of overdoses for five years running. It is a grim landmark and a brutal indictment of our governments' failure to act.... Learn more about the Report here at our specialty page: https://www.penington.org.au/publicat/2020-overdose-report/ It features a message from our CEO John Ryan, a video, infographics, media releases and much more.

04.01.2022 Today, the inquest into the death of Aboriginal man Nathan Reynolds begins in Sydney. It's understood a nurse thought he suffered an overdose and rolled him onto his back. If someone has overdosed, they should always be put in the recovery position (shown below) not on their back.... https://www.theguardian.com//inquest-begins-into-death-of-

04.01.2022 Synthetic cannabinoids are involved in a growing number of drug-related deaths in Australia. Victorian coroner Audrey Jamieson has recommended a review of the availability of synthetic cannabinoids information for health services. With so many synthetic cannabinoid types in circulation, more educational information is vital.... https://bit.ly/2P8priW

03.01.2022 How time flies! Issue four of the new-look Bulletin is out today. In this month's issue: ... - How restrictions to curb the spread of COVID have affected NSP clients and workers; - What happens when drug use, violence and mental health issues converge; - Who’s receiving alcohol and other drug treatments in Australia, and who’s providing them; and - What the inaugural medical director of Sydney’s Medically Supervised Injecting Centre, Dr Ingrid van Beek, sees ahead for NSPs and primary health care. Written specifically for the NSP community, The Bulletin is free to read online or to download now from its new website: https://bulletin.penington.org.au/issues/may-june-2021/

03.01.2022 "Overdose is our hidden health crisis - and it's a crisis that is costing us billions. What's worse is these deaths are preventable. We simply can't accept that 2000 of our sons and daughters, mums and dads, and brothers and sisters die every year from a drug overdose." our CEO, John Ryan. We are calling for the development of a National Overdose Prevention Strategy. Thank you to 7NEWS Australia for covering this important issue.

03.01.2022 On August the 11th, Victoria had 7,880 active #COVID19 cases. Today, there are zero active cases in the state. Lucky these types of doughnuts are *very* good for you!

02.01.2022 Thousands of Australians are dying of preventable overdoses that cost our economy billions each year. We have released Australia's Annual Overdose Report 2020. It's time for a comprehensive national strategy to take on this crisis. ... https://www.penington.org.au/publicat/2020-overdose-report/

02.01.2022 A new poll shows that a majority of The NT News readers support the legalisation of cannabis for recreational use. It's yet another piece of evidence that our cannabis laws are out of step with public opinion. https://www.ntnews.com.au//99acdd8b0b5008bee9785276d3205066

01.01.2022 Purdue has pleaded guilty to criminal charges over its role in the overdose crisis. But the Sacklers are likely to escape punishment, and most of the $5.5bn plea deal will go unpaid. With so many lives lost, this settlement feels bittersweet.... https://www.theguardian.com//purdue-pharma-oxycontin-plead

01.01.2022 Do you think someone you love might be suffering from opioid dependence? LifeSavers is a guide for family and friends: https://lifesavers.global/a-guide-for-family-and-friends/

01.01.2022 We spoke with 7NEWS Townsville about Australia's overdose crisis. Australia's Annual Overdose Report 2020 shows that more than 2000 Australians have died of overdoses for five years running, and 200+ Queensland residents have died of overdoses for 10 years in a row. This crisis is felt especially in rural and regional areas, which continue seeing far higher rates of overdose deaths.