Category Archives: illicit drugs

When will policy catch up with the science on drug prohibition?

May 16, 2012 – 2:09 pm

The previous post examined some of the health implications of Victoria’s plans to build a new prison. In the article below, Dr Alex Wodak, President of the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation, suggests that drug law reform offers a more effective and humane alternative to prison-building. *** Crime and drugs: get tough or get smart? The Victorian [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in legal issues, public health, social determinants of health | Tagged , , | Comments (2)

What are the health implications of building more prisons?

May 16, 2012 – 1:51 pm

Update, May 22: Extra material has been added at the bottom of this post about an assessment of the likely impact of a new correctional facility in Gatton, Queensland. *** Health journalists (and our audiences) might get better stories come budget time if we looked beyond the health department papers. That is one of the [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in education, evidence-based issues, Federal Budget 2012-2013, health impact assessment, Health inequalities, Hospitals, Indigenous health, public health, social determinants of health | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

In case you missed this series on the need for drug law reform

May 2, 2012 – 7:30 pm

Australia21 is an independent, non-profit organisation involved in multidisciplinary research and inquiry on issues of strategic importance to Australia. Its concern with public health is not surprising given that its board members include Emeritus Professor Bob Douglas and physician/law reform advocate Dr Alex Wodak. It recently released a report titled “The prohibition of illicit drugs [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in global health, legal issues, public health | Tagged , , | Comments (1)

The latest media coverage of Ben Cousins has been uninformed, simplistic and unhelpful

April 5, 2012 – 11:26 am

Laurence Alvis, CEO of UnitingCare Moreland Hall, writes: Media coverage of the latest developments in the life of Ben Cousins has done little to advance public debate on issues relating to alcohol and other drug dependence and recovery.  Much recent commentary has dealt heavily in uninformed opinion and has sought to pass simplistic judgement on [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in alcohol, Media-related issues | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

The movies and memoirs of mental health

May 30, 2011 – 7:17 pm

In keeping with the cultural theme of recent posts, below is an article about mental health at the movies (first published at the Cinetology blog), as well as a list compiled in the US of the 20 greatest memoirs of mental illness (which omits some of my favourites). *** What are Australian film-makers telling us [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in alcohol, Indigenous health, men's health, mental health, rural and remote health, Youth health | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Mental health and the budget: some positive steps, but plenty of sorry gaps too

May 24, 2011 – 7:54 pm

Dr Lesley Russell from the Menzies Centre for Health Policy at the University of Sydney, has had a close look at the budget’s mental health papers, and prepared a 12-page analysis which can be downloaded here. She has also provided an abridged version for Croakey readers. It seems that all is not quite what it [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in alcohol, Federal Budget 2011, mental health, Youth health | Comments (8)

COAG and health reform: a mega-wrap of reaction and comment

February 14, 2011 – 1:24 pm

What will yesterdays COAG agreement mean for hospital financing, health reform and the community’s health? You can read what the PM and Premiers have agreed here, see attachment A in particular. Part of the agreement includes a commitment to sign a full National Health Reform Agreement by 1 July 2011. Thanks to the many Croakey [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in alcohol, Australian Medical Association, chronic diseases, dental care, general practice, health financing and costs, Health inequalities, health reform, health workforce, Hospitals, Indigenous health, Medicare Locals, mental health, prevention, primary health care, private health insurance, tobacco control | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (5)

A call to health policy researchers: have you examples of government gags?

October 2, 2010 – 2:50 pm

(PostScript: Croakey is taking a week’s leave. See you around Oct 11 or so…) A recent Croakey post reported on moves by the Canadian Government to stifle scientific contributions to public debate. Daniel Vujcich, a University of Western Australia graduate who is currently on a Rhodes Scholarship to the University of Oxford, is investigating the [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in conflicts of interest, health and medical research | Tagged , | Comments (7)

Dear Jess, this is why public health experts support the medically supervised injecting centre

September 16, 2010 – 10:56 am

A young Croakey reader, Jess Pearson, commented on the recent post on Sydney’s medically supervised injecting centre, raising concerns that the centre might encourage more young people to try drugs. Michael Moore, CEO of the Public Health Association of Australia, asked Croakey to post this response to Jess on his behalf. I thought it worth [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in public health | Tagged , , , | Comments (1)

The death of a Sydney policeman. Why?

September 15, 2010 – 9:04 pm

Dr Alex Wodak, President of the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation, writes: On 8 September, a policeman involved in a drug bust in Bankstown, Sydney, was shot and died soon afterwards. Why did this happen? Most people would assume that drug law enforcement reduces violence. The Vancouver-based International Centre for Science in Drug Policy tested [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in public health | Tagged , , | Comments (4)