The International journal on drug policy
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Int. J. Drug Policy · Jul 2011
Multicenter Study Clinical TrialUptake, benefits of and barriers to safer crack use kit (SCUK) distribution programmes in Victoria, Canada--a qualitative exploration.
Crack use is prevalent amongst street drug users in Canadian cities, and associated with severe drug use, health and social problems. Whilst few targeted interventions are available for crack use, the common use and sharing of hazardous makeshift paraphernalia are a key concern, as these risks may be associated with oral injury and blood-borne virus (BBV)--e.g., hepatitis C virus (HCV)--transmission amongst users. Recently, distribution programmes of so-called 'safer crack use kits' (SCUKs) have been initiated in select Canadian cities, primarily to reduce the use of unsafe materials and paraphernalia sharing amongst crack users. This study explored uptake and benefits of, barriers to, and possible improvements to two recently implemented SCUK distribution programme in Victoria, Canada. ⋯ SCUK distribution in Victoria appears to result in a variety of individual and community health benefits. These benefits could be solidified by addressing current programme limitations, including better resourcing, expanding geographic distributions and eliminating police interference.
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Int. J. Drug Policy · Jul 2011
A qualitative evaluation of a peer-implemented overdose response pilot project in Gejiu, China.
A harm reduction NGO in southern Yunnan operating an emergency overdose response hotline service successfully reversed 76 overdoses through the administration of naloxone in one of the first interventions of its kind in China. ⋯ The authors explore possible strategies, including targeted trainings and new partnerships with local hospitals, to further reduce opiate overdose mortality in this resource-poor setting.
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Int. J. Drug Policy · Jul 2011
How do Australian news media depict illicit drug issues? An analysis of print media reporting across and between illicit drugs, 2003-2008.
Media reporting on illicit issues has been frequently criticised for being sensationalised, biased and narrow. Yet, there have been few broad and systematic analyses of the nature of reporting. Using a large sample and methods commonly adopted in media communications analysis this paper sought to identify the dominant media portrayals used to denote illicit drugs in Australian newspapers and to compare and contrast portrayals across drug types. ⋯ Media reporting on illicit drugs is heavily distorted towards crime and deviance framings, but may be less overtly sensationalised, biased and narrowly framed than previously suggested. This is not to suggest there is no sensationalism or imbalance, but this appears more associated with particular drug types and episodes of heightened public concern.