DRUG OVERDOSE PEER EDUCATION (D.O.P.E) WORKSHOPS The DOPE project educates approximately 250 current drug users every year by means of 25 peer education workshops, which accommodate up to 10 participants per workshop. These workshops are held at a range of clinics, organisations and services attended by people who inject drugs. Although we try to target 250 new participants each year, there is also value in people coming back for a ‘refresher’ workshop. Our evaluation suggests that some people take longer to absorb the information and to feel confident enough to act on it. Each workshop goes for approx. 3 hours with short breaks and a meal provided. Some people say that the workshop is too long and they cringe at the thought of having to participate for “that long”. Yet more often than not, as I start to wrap things up, I hear those same people saying “is that it?” or “gee that went quick!” So, it is true that time really does fly when you are having fun. Here at HRVic, we are firm believers in the concept of ‘information overload’ and as such try hard not to cram everything into one workshop which is why our workshops are flexible. Once everyone has arrived at a workshop, we usually start with a quick discussion around what drugs the participants are using and what they already know about overdose. That way we can tailor the workshop to suit those present and make sure that the information is interesting and relevant. Done In 60 Seconds A fun 60 second 'How To' for Nyxoid nasal spray naloxone and Prenoxad injectable naloxone made for International Overdose Awareness Day 2021 for our social media accounts. A longer, less sped up version of each will be available on our youtube channel HRVic Oz.

HRVic is a community based, not-for-profit organisation that represents people who use drugs. Community service awards include: COMING SOON Our new website is in progress. Please bare with us while we cross all our T's and dot all our i's.

NEW APRIL 7, 2020 COVID19 RESPONSE: Pharmacotherapy Services- Information for prescribers and dispensers. The links below are for advice and clinical guidance related to working in the Medically Assisted Treatment for Opioid Dependence (MATOD) sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. Advice moderates existing MATOD policy for prescribers and dispensers in relation to: Takeaway doses Third party collection Suboxone prescribing caps. This information is intended to provide guidance and support for increased flexibility in clinical treatment during this time. This advice was developed by alcohol and other drug experts and the Department of Health and Human Services, and will be supported by ongoing work by the department to identify optimal pathways for vulnerable clients, including pharmacotherapy patients. Please see the Victorian COVID-19 website for current case definition, guidance and testing recommendations. If you have any questions in relation to this information, please make contact with your local Pharmacotherapy Area Based Network in the first instance. Alternatively you may submit questions to aod.enquiries@dhhs.vic.gov.au. COVID19 UPDATES Third Party Dose Pick up Includes patient agreement form COVID19 Take Away Guidelines Includes take away review assessment Click on links for PDF Some Helpful Tips for People on Pharmacotherapy - Methadone and Buprenorphine (Suboxone and Subutex) : Prescriber Pharmacist 1. DON'T PANIC. 2. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A VALID & UP-TO-DATE PRESRIPTION(S) for ALL YOUR MEDICATIONS. If you have a scheduled appointment with your doctor, please do not miss it* Check if this appointment is face to face or via Telehealth. If you are unwell or in self-isolation, call your medical clinic and follow their advice . *Prescribers are in overly high demand and it will be hard to book another appointment. 3. ASK YOUR PRESCRIBER (ie. doctor) FOR A LONGER PRESCRIPTION. (pharmacotherapy scripts can be written for up to 6 months at a time) How will it help? This will mean you don't have to go to the clinic for a longer period of time = Less mixing with others and reduced risk to all BUT there may well be follow-ups during this period via Telehealth 4. ASK YOUR PRESCRIBER FOR AS MANY TAKE-AWAY DOSES AS POSSIBLE. Ask your prescriber to give you as many take-away doses, (TADs) as they feel comfortable with. See new interim COVID-19 take away policy How will it help? More take aways will mean less visits to the pharmacy, less mixing with other people, a reduced need to leave your house etc. If your prescriber is happy to give you more than 4 TADs p/w (methadone) or more than 6 TADs p/w (Suboxone) please make sure your prescriber speaks with your dosing pharmacy so you don't have problems picking them up. 5. DO NOT MISS DOSES! If you miss 4 doses in a row of either methadone or buprenorphine (Suboxone/Subutex), your pharmacy cannot dose you. If your prescriber is not available, it might be very hard to find another one, especially in time to prevent opioid withdrawal symptoms. 6. ASK YOUR PHARMACIST WHAT THEIR PLAN IS FOR DOSING PEOPLE IF THEY MUST CLOSE FOR ANY PERIOD OF TIME DURING THIS COVID19 PANDEMIC. Pharmacies have all been asked to put a plan in place in case they need to close and to ensure continuity of dosing for pharmacotherapy patients 6. GIVE YOUR PHARMACY YOUR UP-TO-DATE CONTACT DETAILS AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THEIRS. ie. PHONE NUMBER, ADDRESS ETC and also that your pharmacist has a colour photograph of you on file. How does this help? I t’s a good idea to store the pharmacy phone number in your phone contact list so you will know if they try to contact you. If the computer goes down due to network overuse, theyll have a photo of you to dose you manually. 7. ASK THE PHARMACY IF THE DOSING HOURS HAVE CHANGED. (e.g. many pharmacies are closing earlier due to the additional amount of work they are doing to keep things clean. 8. IF (for any reason) YOU ARE IN 'SELF ISOLATION' AND YOU NEED TO GO TO THE PHARMACY TO PICK UP YOUR DOSE, MAKE SURE YOU: call the pharmacist to let them know you are in self isolation but need to pick up your dose understand that you may need to organise a specific time to dose or pick up take aways wear a face mask to protect others, (just in case you are contagious- you may have the virus and feel fine but it may KILL someone else who is more vulnerable) Call the COVID19 Coronavirus hotline on 1800 675 389 for additional information INFO ON METHADONE take-away dose (TAD) BOTTLES Ideally a new bottle should be given to each person for each dose, but bottles can be costly-to the environment and financially!- If you ARE permitted to RE-USE YOUR OWN TAD bottle/s - KEEP THEM CLEAN. TAD bottles should be washed out with warm soapy water, thoroughly rinsed and left to air-dry. TAD bottles should only be brought back to the pharmacy on the day you need your TAD. Do not use your TAD bottles for anything other than methadone. Before you take your dose, pour the methadone into a glass and drink it straight away. This will help to keep the bottle clean from saliva and germs. Storage of TADs (methadone and buprenorphine) Methadone TADs should be kept in a safe or a locked cabinet, (e.g. bedside table, filing cabinet, desk drawer etc), well out of the way of children or others. Methadone does not need to be kept refrigerated unless it is diluted with cordial, (pharmacists are advised to use water only to dilute TAD doses but some still use cordial- ask for no cordial-they will last longer in more conditions. Next Steps The PAMS Service, the Victorian methadone/buprenorphine prescribers and pharmacists and the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services, (DHHS) are all working hard to ensure everyone on the program will continue to get their doses through this pandemic. As soon as we know more, we will let you know via this website. Other Online Resources and Information: Additional information can be found at the Victorian DHHS and the Department of Health and Ageing websites. There is an over supply of information out there- both correct and incorrect. DO YOUR RESEARCH and again- DON'T PANIC. Follow these links: https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/cdna-song-novel-coronavirus.htm MORE PAMS INFO HERE

WHACK magazine is HRVic's flagship publication. 37 Issues and 30 years deep, made by drug users for drug users. GET IT AT YOUR LOCAL DRUG USER FRIENDLY SERVICE, NSP OR CLINIC OR COME GET IT FROM THE HRVIC OFFICE! WHACK Magazine is HRVic’s FREE educational and informational community zine. A zine written for and designed BY people who use drugs FOR people who use drugs. WHACK is not for public consumption or sale. WHACK Magazine WHACK is an integral part of Victoria's community of people who use drugs. Our mission to advance the health and human rights of people who use drugs by sharing information, supporting and empowering each other. Currently WHACK magazine comes out, IN PRINT ONLY, EVERY QUARTER - Spring, Summer, Autumn and WInter. Due to increases in printing and postage prices and staff workloads, HRVic does it's best to keep to this timeline but can occasionally be held up. Please be patient when ordering more WHACKs for distribution and consider our back catalogue if you've run out. By providing our community with a free platform to be able to express our thoughts and feelings and that delivers factual, relevant information about issues that directly relate to our lives including up to date information about substances, and reducing the harms associated with drug use – in particular reducing the risk of HIV, hep C and hep B. Due to the diverse & marginalised nature of our community, we do our best to present the info in such a way as to have wide appeal & lasting impact & to represent the different perspectives of a wide range of contributors – from peers to researchers to carers and allies to workers and back to peers.. The information takes on an array of forms- from the informative to the ridiculous – and everything in between. We are constantly on the search for new ways to share our harm reduction messaging and to extend the reach of that message- all while staying true to our roots. HOW TO SUBMIT TO WHACK Send images or stories to samj@hrvic.org.au Back Issues - Late 1980's to TODAY! We are 50 magazines deep! The library of FREE community made magazines you see before you represents the vast body of work that HRVic’s dedicated community have created over the last 30 years plus! Back issues of the magazine are available to read in person in our library in HRVic's Community room at 299-305 Victoria St Brunswick Vic. We can provide you with a pdf of stories if you know what you are after. WHACK magazine is NOT for PUBLIC CONSUMPTION OR FOR SALE.

COVID-19 Pharmacotherapy Update from the PAMS Service The PAMS Service will continue to operate during COVID-19. You can contact us by calling 1800 443 844 , (free call from landlines, most mobiles, and all public phones). During the last 4 weeks or so, we have had several calls from pharmacotherapy consumers who are worried about various aspects of the program, given the international COVID-19 pandemic. We would like to reassure people on methadone or buprenorphine (Subutex) or buprenorphine-naloxone (Suboxone) that: the supply of these medications can be guaranteed in Australia for the foreseeable future. Pharmacies are ‘essential services’ and are therefore likely to remain open during COVID-19. Importantly, all pharmacotherapy dispensing pharmacies have been encouraged to have plans in place in order to ensure ongoing service delivery in the event the pharmacy had to close for a short period (e.g. due to staff sickness). PAMS has developed “Some Helpful Tips for People on Pharmacotherapy Programs”. Given information is changing rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have now updated and added to our “helpful tips” which can be found here. What has changed for Victorian Pharmacotherapy Consumers as a Result of COVID-19? New COVID-19 Specific Pharmacotherapy Guidance: In consultation with several experts, (including PAMS), the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) have released an interim guidance which aims to make life safer for Victorian pharmacotherapy consumers and service providers during COVID-19. Currently, this guidance is in place only in response to COVID-19 and may be removed after the pandemic eases. Take-Away Doses, (TAD): We all know we are being encouraged to “stay at home” as much as possible during COVID-19. The less contact we have with other people, (e.g. on public transport, at the pharmacy or in the street), the safer we and our loved ones are likely to be. Given this interim guidance is now in place, some people might be eligible for TADs for the first time and others may be able to get additional TAD’s. The new (COVID-19 specific) Victorian TAD policy can be found here. A tool has been developed to help prescribers assess patient eligibility for TADs during COVID-19 which can be found here. Contra-indications to TADs: Please remember that both your pharmacist and prescriber must be in agreeance before you can get TADs or additional TAD’s. There are 4 circumstances when it is not considered safe to have TADs, these are: Recent OD reported with any substance Recent diversion of doses to others, sharing or trading of doses No safe and secure storage facility available Serious and immediate risk of harm to self or others Talking to your prescriber and pharmacist about TAD’s/extra TADs: If you feel you would benefit from a TAD review, PAMS staff suggest you consider the following: Get yourself a safe, secure storage facility: this can be as simple as finding a secure place, (e.g. a locked drawer or filing cabinet) where your TADs can be safely stored away. If your TADs are stored safely: You are unlikely to lose your dose/doses if your accommodation is burgled, Your confidentiality is maintained regarding the program and family members/non-using friends Your doses are kept safe from children and even pets! There is much less chance of an accidental, methadone-related overdose occurring. Remember: having a safe, secure storage facility is a requirement for TADs. Talk to your pharmacist first – ask if they would be happy to dispense TADs or additional TADs before you talk to your prescriber, (getting the support of your pharmacist is essential). Do the “check-list for assessing appropriateness of TAD’s to support continuity of pharmacotherapy during the COVID-19 pandemic” yourself first. This will give you a good idea of what your prescriber might consider when faced with this question. The checklist can be found here. Talking to your prescriber: think about the points you want to get across to your prescriber regarding TAD’s and why you feel you would benefit from them. Do you have any other chronic conditions that might make you more at risk of COVID-19 (e.g. history of respiratory problems, immune compromised, living with elderly relatives, are you over 60 years etc). Do you have to travel to the pharmacy on public transport, do you live in rural/regional Victoria with no car and public transport has been reduced etc. When talking to your prescriber, try not to demand what you want, instead try to explain the problem, and ask for their input and opinion. Importantly, maintain your cool, getting angry just makes everything worse for everyone! 3rd Party Pick-up: A formalised arrangement is now in place whereby if you must isolate or are unwell and therefore unable to present for an in-store dose, it is now possible to have your dose/s collected by another, (officially authorised) person, referred to as a ‘3rd party’. If you find yourself possibly needing a ‘3rd party pick-up’, you may want to consider the following questions: Who should I choose to collect my dose/s? The ‘3rd party’ needs to be somebody you trust (if it is a person you know). Importantly, there is a requirement the ‘3rd party’ has photo ID. If you do not have a family member or friend who is appropriate to collect your dose/s, then the next option would be to ask a case worker (if you have one), failing this it is possible to utilise a courier company. Importantly, both the prescriber and pharmacist will need to approve of the 3rd party you have nominated. Will there be any additional costs to me? Any doses collected by the ‘3rd party’ must be dispensed by the pharmacist as a TAD/s. In some instances, pharmacists charge additional fees for dispensing a TAD (e.g. for a bottle). We would hope there would not be any further cost to the consumer, aside from the usual dosing fees. However, if a courier company is used, they will likely charge a fee for service. What, (if any) changes need to be made to my script? Your pharmacotherapy prescription will need to reflect a TAD for each dose to be collected by the 3rd party. As an interim measure this could be a verbal authorisation from the prescriber to the pharmacist, however an actual prescription will need to be supplied as soon as practicable. How are the doses transported from the pharmacy to me? It is essential for the ‘3rd party’ to understand the need to collect the dose/s from the pharmacy and transport them directly to you, the consumer. Doses should, (ideally) be transported by car as opposed to public transport wherever possible. Under no circumstances should your doses be left unattended, (e.g. in a car) for any period. Who signs for the doses and how does this process happen? Your doses will need to be signed for at the pharmacy by the 3rd party. Are there any forms that need to be completed? There are forms available to assist with 3rd part pick-up. Although not mandatory, these documents can assist to formalise the 3rd party pick-up process and outline the various roles and/or responsibilities of all parties involved. These forms can be found here. We refer to the issue of ‘3rd party pick-up’ when we discuss “what do I do if I have tested positive or need to isolate”, which can be found here. The actual guidelines on 3rd party pick-up can be found here. Prescription Length: Once you are stable on a program, most prescribers write a pharmacotherapy prescription for a month. However, during COVID-19, prescribers are being encouraged to write prescriptions for up to 6 months. There are a few reasons for longer pharmacotherapy prescriptions during COVID-19, including: If your prescriber became unwell, (e.g. had to self-isolate) and there was nobody to write your prescription from the same clinic, a longer script would hopefully allow your prescriber enough time to recover. Providing you do not miss 4 doses in a row, you can likely continue to dose. Hopefully, if your prescriber is seeing less patients face to face due to longer prescriptions, they are less likely to become unwell, Reduced travel to medical appointments, means overall less exposure to other people e.g. on public transport and/or inside the clinic. Remember, if you do get a longer script it is likely your prescriber may want to have regular check-ins with you, (these can now be done over the phone or by videoconferencing – see below). Tele-health: Pharmacotherapy prescribers can now bulk-bill patients through Medicare for consultations by phone or videoconference, (tele-health). In relation to tele-health, PAMS suggest that you consider the following: Before your next medical appointment, contact your prescriber’s clinic to find out if they require you to attend in person or if they offer tele-health. If your preference is for tele-health and it is offered by your prescriber, ask if there is anything you need to do, (e.g. is there an application you need to download for a videoconference or tele-health consult?) Make sure that your medical clinic have your recent contact details, (mobile phone number, email address and next of kin/emergency contact), store the clinic phone in your mobile phone so you will know if they are calling you. Before the tele-health consultation ends, ask your prescriber for the date your prescription expires and when the next consult will be – make sure you have these dates recorded somewhere safe. If there is anything that worries you about using tele-health, (e.g. your privacy/confidentiality, understanding of and/or availability of technology etc), please raise these issues with your medical clinic or pharmacotherapy service provider. What do I do if I think I might have COVID-19 or may be required to self-isolate? Opioid Withdrawal and COVID-19: Some of the symptoms of COVID-19 can be a little like opioid withdrawal, therefore it is important not to jump to any rash conclusions. If you are on a program and think you might have COVID-19 or may be required to isolate, we suggest you follow the steps below, including: Call the COVID-19 hotline, (PH: 1800 675 398) – they will advise if you need to be tested and provide information on test sites etc. NEGATIVE COVID19 TEST RESULT - Nothing needs to change POSITIVE COVID19 TEST RESULT - Call your prescriber’s clinic and tell them you have a positive test result for COVID-19. It is likely that your prescriber will allow you to have additional TADs to cover the period you need to isolate. Your doses can be collected by a 3rd party, (e.g. a person who is a friend/relative, case worker) The interim COVID-19 guidelines cover 3rd party pick-up, more information, (including specific consent forms) can be found here. *We strongly suggest you consider who this (‘3rd party) person might be NB: it must be a person who you trust to collect and transport your doses to you, has photo ID and the pharmacist and prescriber approve of. Contact your dosing pharmacy and inform them you have a positive test result for COVID-19. that you have spoken to your prescriber and who your nominated 3rd party is. If you are worried or feel you are not able to do this on your own, or if you have any questions, or concerns please call PAMS on 1800 443 844 so we can help guide you through it. More Tips for People on Pharmacotherapy During COVID-19 If you have not seen the first lot of tips, they can be found here. New Tips for People on Pharmacotherapy: Stay on your pharmacotherapy program: over the last couple of weeks, some people on methadone or buprenorphine-naloxone have reported to PAMS that they either missed doses or at worst stopped dosing altogether in an attempt to avoid COVID-19 or to keep family/friends safe. In all honesty, this is crazy, you need your dose, (usually daily). If opioid dependent and not on a program, consider starting treatment: over recent weeks, we have been hearing that supplies of illicit drugs such as heroin are dwindling, quality is decreasing, and prices are increasing. We have experienced an increased demand for the methadone/buprenorphine-naloxone program in recent weeks. In order to prevent the possibility of opioid withdrawal, we encourage you to consider starting/re-starting treatment for opioid dependence, (pharmacotherapy). Get Naloxone: as we all know, naloxone is used to reverse an opioid overdose, including a methadone overdose. With an increased amount of methadone TADs and a supply of heroin that is likely fluctuating, the more Naloxone in circulation the better we can respond to an opioid overdose. We strongly encourage you to ask your prescriber for a prescription of Naloxone. NB: All pharmacotherapy prescribers are being encouraged to provide each patient with a prescription of Naloxone. If you get more TADs, please look after them: it is very easy for us to forget that just one methadone dose can kill several non-opioid-tolerant individuals. One of the contra-indications to getting TADs is having no safe storage unit. If your TADs are stored safely, there is no chance that kids, teenagers, visitors, (even house breakers) will be able to get hold of them. A pin-code safe can be purchased relatively inexpensively, otherwise a lockable cabinet or drawer can be utilised. TADs of buprenorphine-naloxone, (Suboxone Film): people who are stable on Suboxone Film may find themselves with a 14-28-day supply of TADs during COVID-19. Please be very careful about ensuring you keep track of your TADs and do not miss the day you are due back at the pharmacy for your next in-store dose. Missing doses during COVID-19 can be risky as if you miss more than 4 in a row, you will have to be reviewed by your prescriber before you can resume dosing. Complications can occur if your prescriber is unavailable, (e.g. due to being unwell), reluctant to re-start people via tele-health (if this is all your prescriber offers) insisting you see a new prescriber (if you have no history with the new prescriber it might be difficult to get TADs). Tip,: set an alarm/reminder message on your phone so you do not miss a dose/s at the pharmacy. Photo ID: Having photo ID is always handy. For example, many prescribers require photo ID at the first appointment and pharmacists often ask for it along with a certified photograph, (colour photo of you signed by your prescriber). If you are required to self-isolate and need to arrange for a “3rd party” to collect your doses for a short period, the 3rd party will require photo ID. It is even possible you may become a nominated 3rd party if an acquaintance must isolate. Tip: If you do not have any photo ID, we strongly suggest you consider getting it. Update your contact details: It is easy to miss a call from your prescriber or pharmacist, especially if you do not have their contact details saved in your phone’s ‘contact list’. During COVID-19, it is essential you do not miss an important call such as this, (you might be called to change an appointment time, inform you about tele-health, let you know of a change to pharmacy dosing arrangements etc). Make sure your prescriber and pharmacy have your up to date contact details. We strongly suggest you give both prescriber and pharmacist a second contact person who knows how to find you, especially in case of emergency. If you do not yet have an email address, now is a good time to consider getting one – this will only work if you check your email regularly! If you can think of anything that we have not covered here or if there is anything you would like to ask us, or if you are experiencing a pharmacotherapy program-related problem you are unable to resolve on your own please do hesitate to contact PAMS on 1800 443 844. MORE COVID19 & PHARMACOTHERAPY INFO HERE

Fixed Site service Info Victoria’s free pill testing service is now open at 95 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. Hours are: Thursdays 10am - 4pm Fridays 1pm - 7pm Saturdays 1pm - 7pm Extended Summer Hours Victoria's new fixed site for drug checking (aka. pill testing) has opened at 95 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. The Victorian Government is trialling this new health service to reduce possible drug-related harm. The service will be able to provide health and safety information about drug use by peer harm reduction workers. It is expected to open by August 2025, and the trial will operate for up to 12 months. This follows the successful launch of a mobile drug checking service at five music festivals from December 2024 to April 2025 . The Victorian Pill Testing Service is a free and confidential service that analyses your drugs and tells you what’s in them. We provide accurate information and non-judgmental health and harm reduction advice to help you make safer decisions about drug use. Funded by: How it works Everyone is welcome to use this service. When you arrive, you’ll provide a small sample of your substance for testing. While waiting for results you can chat with peers or health workers about harm reduction, have a cuppa or just hang out and watch the chemists at work. When the chemist has completed the tests, you’ll get your results in a private consultation room where a peer harm reduction worker will explain what was found and if needed, provide health and safety advice. Important to remember No identifying information is collected during ANY of the process. You can’t be arrested or charged for using the service. However, protections ONLY apply WITHIN the service area, so please ONLY BRING A VERY SMALL sample (less than a traffickable amount). If you are unsure what that is, see below. We can test most substances in pill/tablet form, powders, capsules, crystals and liquids. We can’t test plant material, highly diluted substances, or edibles. The Law Use Trafficking Possession The trafficable quantities are: • amphetamine: 3 grams • cannabis: 250 grams or 10 plants • cocaine: 3 grams • GHB: 50 grams • heroin: 3 grams • ketamine: 3 grams • MDMA (ecstasy): 3 grams • methylamphetamine (ice) : 3 grams These quantities include the drug plus any ‘cutters’. These trafficable quantities can change if the law changes. If you have less than a trafficable quantity of a drug, the police could still charge you with possession, or with trafficking if it looks like you were selling it. ie. in separate baggies etc. _________________ * 'Drugs ,the Law and Safer Substance Use' resource by Victoria Legal Aid Drugs & The Law resource Possession The police can charge you with possession (outside the pill testing service) if you have a drug: • on your body • in your house • in a car that you own or are driving. Possession of prescription drugs like methadone, steroids or benzodiazepines is okay if you have a prescription. The prescription must be up-to-date and made out to you. It is legal in Victoria to possess new or used syringes. Try not to carry drugs on you when you are carrying syringes. ________________ * 'Drugs ,the Law and Safer Substance Use' resource by Victoria Legal Aid Drugs & The Law resource Using Drugs The police can charge you if they see you using or you admit to using: • an illegal drug, or • a drug you do not have a prescription for. Use includes smoking, inhaling fumes, injecting, swallowing, or consuming a drug in other ways. If you admit to injecting someone else with a drug, the police can charge you with ‘introducing a drug into the body of another person’. If that person dies, you may be charged with a serious criminal offence. _________________ * 'Drugs, the Law and Safer Substance Use' resource by Victoria Legal Aid Drugs & The Law resource Contact Us Address 95 Brunswick Street Fitzroy Contact Phone: 1 800 762 844 Email: info@vicpilltesting.org.au Website: www.vicpilltesting.org.au Opening Hours from AUGUST 2025 Thurs. 12pm-4pm Fri. 3pm-7pm Sat. 1pm-7pm Sunday to Wednesday CLOSED Like, Follow & Comment

Nitazenes 2-benyzl-benzimadazoles 2-benyzl-benzimadazoles My Story This is your About page. This space is a great opportunity to give a full background on who you are, what you do and what your site has to offer. Your users are genuinely interested in learning more about you, so don’t be afraid to share personal anecdotes to create a more friendly quality. Every website has a story, and your visitors want to hear yours. This space is a great opportunity to provide any personal details you want to share with your followers. Include interesting anecdotes and facts to keep readers engaged. Double click on the text box to start editing your content and make sure to add all the relevant details you want site visitors to know. If you’re a business, talk about how you started and share your professional journey. Explain your core values, your commitment to customers and how you stand out from the crowd. Add a photo, gallery or video for even more engagement. Contact I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect. info@mysite.com 123-456-7890

5toLife- Respond to Opioid Overdose with naloxone. PAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION 5 T o Life Steps continued from HRVic opioid reversal kit instruction sheet REVERSE OPIOID OVERDOSE How To Videos: Ampoules- Injectable Nyxoid- Nasal Spray Prenoxad- Injectable 5 to Life: Naloxone Instructions AMPOULES-Naloxone Instructions FAQs Frequently Asked Questions ABOUT NALOXONE THE PRODUCT: What is naloxone? Naloxone is a TGA approved medicine thats ONLY use is to quickly (but temporarily) reverse an opioid overdose. What else is naloxone used for? Naloxone, also known as it's brand names Narcan, Nyxoid or Prenoxad, can be administered as a nasal spray or by injection. It quickly but temporarily reverses an OPIOID overdose only. Examples of opioids are heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, and morphine and nitazenes. It will not work on ove rdoses from cocaine, methamphetamine, or other non-opioid drugs. page under construction......

Harm Reduction Victoria Privacy & Confidentiality Policy Statement Harm Reduction Victoria is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of service users, participants, team members and stakeholders in the way information is collected, stored and used. This policy provides guidance on Harm Reduction Victoria’s legal obligations and ethical expectations in relation to privacy and confidentiality. Harm Reduction Victoria will only collect personal information that is necessary to support its service users, provide service delivery and evaluate services provided by the organisation. Harm Reduction Victoria will only collect information through ‘lawful and fair means’ – that is, not through criminal or illegal activity, trickery or deception. Harm Reduction Victoria will endeavor to only collect information directly from the person it belongs to after obtaining consent from that person. If Harm Reduction Victoria is unable to collect information directly from the person it belongs to or obtain their consent but considers the information to be critical in providing health services to that person or other individuals, Harm Reduction Victoria will follow the IPP, APP and HPP guidelines around the collection, notification, storage, use and disclosure of the information. Harm Reduction Victoria strives to respect the confidentiality of any information pertaining to service users and any other individual who may engage with the organisation. However, in the spirit of partnership, Harm Reduction Victoria may share information with other organisations, involved individuals and services users when it is in the best interest of the service user or individual to do so. This best interest should be decided in partnership with the service user, and a standard health information sharing agreement should be used with the individual when we are operating on their behalf and sharing information with others. In the event of collecting or sharing information about individuals or organisations, Harm Reduction Victoria will take all reasonable steps to ensure it is abiding by relevant legislation, including but not limited to those listed in the legislation, clinical guidelines or other requirements. Reasonable steps to establish policies, procedures and work processes may include but are not limited to: Consult with Harm Reduction Victoria’s lawyers, specifically the Privacy and Data Security team For personal information, consult with the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner and/or Office of the Australian Information Commissioner For health information, consult with the Health Complaints Commissioner and/or the Department of Health Privacy Team Complete a Privacy Impact Assessment Enter into an agreement with the individual or organisation that HRVic will be collecting or sharing information. Harm Reduction Victoria is committed to ensuring that information is used in an ethical and responsible manner. Harm Reduction Victoria recognises the need to be consistent, cautious and thorough in the way that information about service users, participants, stakeholders and team members is recorded, stored and managed. All individuals including service users, participants, stakeholders, staff and volunteers have legislated rights to privacy of personal information. In circumstances where the right to privacy may be overridden by other considerations (for example, child protection concerns or public health and safety), staff will act in accordance with the relevant policy and/or legal framework. All team members are to have an appropriate level of understanding about how to meet the organisation’s legal and ethical obligations to ensure privacy and confidentiality. Harm Reduction Victoria strives to provide quality services in which information is collected, stored, used and disclosed in an appropriate manner complying with both legislative requirements and ethical obligations. Harm Reduction Victoria will work to ensure all staff understand their privacy and confidentiality responsibilities in relation to personal information and organisational information about Harm Reduction Victoria, its service users, participants, team members and stakeholders. This understanding should be demonstrated in all work practices. Please contact admin@hrvic.org.au or call (03) 9329 1500 for more information.

HRVic's latest program brings people with lived experience and authentic, relevant, real-world, CURRENT experience with: substance use - various substances, injecting and otherwise experience with Hepatitis B - living with and treatment of experience with Hepatitis C- living with and treatment of experience with HIV - prevention and treatment experience with stigma & discrimination in healthcare settings, in the workplace etc. as a person who uses drugs in Victoria/Australia, and/ or as a person with a BBV HRVic's lived experience speakers are trained, remunerated and given ongoing support by HRVic and choose to speak candidly of our experiences publically at forums, conferences, panels and presentations. We at HRVic and we as peers and speakers feel that sharing real experience and putting real faces to real stories is the only way educate, enlighten and inform health workers and to challenge and combat stigma and discrimination against people who use drugs and people with BBVs. For More Information about booking a 'Speaking Peer- spectively ' lived experience speaker or to enquire about becoming a speaker on HRVic's 'Speaking Peer-spectively' team please email admin@hrvic.org.au or call 9329 1500.

BUPERENORPHINE NALOXONE Suboxone Suboxone is the more widely used of the two formulations of buprenorphine available to opiate pharmacotherapy consumers in Victoria. Subutex is the other. Buprenorphine is increasingly popular as an alternative to methadone. Suboxone contains a 4:1 ratio of buprenorphine/naloxone . Naloxone, an opiate antagonist, reverses the effects of opiates. Under the brand name Narcan, it is used intravenously to assist overdose victims, and is only present in Suboxone as a deterrent to injection (see below). When Suboxone is taken sub-lingually (beneath the tongue), the naloxone has no pharmacological effect. Only 1-4% of the naloxone is absorbed by the system, and after an hour this small amount has left the system. Film & Tablets: Suboxone is available in in 2mg and 8mg strengths, coming in two forms: a sub-lingual tablet and, more recently, a sub-lingual film (similar to a Listerine strip). Both are placed beneath the tongue, where they are absorbed directly into the blood-stream through the mucous membrane. (In the case of the film, the inside of the cheek may also be used.) The effects of the tablets and the film are effectively identical, though trials of film showed a slightly higher bioavailability (i.e. just a little more reaches the system.) NB: The tablet form of Suboxone will not be available in Victoria after 31 Aug 2013. Basic Pharmacology of Buprenorphine Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist. It binds strongly to the same receptors as other opiates, but stimulates them only weakly, producing very little of an opiate effect. Once the buprenorphine molecule is locked onto the receptor, it remains there much longer than other opiates like heroin and methadone. If such drugs are taken while on buprenorphine, their effects will be much reduced. Buprenorphine’s affinity for the receptor is powerful enough to displace opiates like heroin and methadone. For this reason, the initial dose of buprenorphine should be low (i.e. < 8mg) and, ideally, the client should be in the first stages of opioid withdrawal. If a dependent client takes a large dose of buprenorphine after recent use of heroin – or before the onset of withdrawal – the buprenorphine can precipitate immediate and full withdrawal. This is an extremely unpleasant, uncomfortable experience to be avoided at all cost. The Ceiling Effect An interesting feature of buprenorphine is its ceiling effect. Up to a certain point, the more buprenorphine that is taken, the greater the opiate effect. Past that point, increasing the dose only results in a longer duration of action and no increased opiate effect. This means that some people can have their daily dose increased (usually doubled) and the dose will last for two days instead of one. This can be very useful for those who have difficulty reaching their dosing points, and can remove the need for take aways during the first month of treatment. NB: Suboxone take aways are not available in these two day doses, i.e. if you are on 8mg, and receive 16mg to take away, it counts as two take-aways, not one. Though scientific evidence is scant, this ceiling effect presumably varies with the individual. The maximum allowable dose of buprenorphine is 32mg. If Suboxone is taken as recommended, the naloxone should have no effect. Any small amount that is absorbed will leave the body within one hour of dosing. Injecting Suboxone If Suboxone is injected, the naloxone and buprenorphine will compete to occupy the receptors, causing an uncomfortable delay before any effects are felt. The buprenorphine will eventually displace the naloxone, but up to twenty minutes may pass before this occurs. If another opiate, like heroin or oxycodone, is present in the system when injecting Suboxone, precipitated withdrawal will result, as the opiate will be rapidly displaced by both the buprenorphine and naloxone. Injecting Suboxone carries serious health risks and is not recommended. If the medication is removed from the mouth prior to injection, these risks are compounded. For more information about the harms associated with injecting Suboxone, please contact PAMS. Take Away Doses of Buprenorphine-Naloxone (Suboxone) The number of take away doses available for those taking Suboxone depends on their stability and how long they have been on the program. For the first two weeks of treatment, clients must attend each day for their dose. After this, if the client is considered stable, some take-away doses may be prescribed, see below for further details: After two weeks of continuous treatment and considered stable (on the correct dose and not missing doses) – eligible for up to 2 take away doses per week After two months of continuous treatment and considered stable (on the correct dose and not missing doses) – eligible for up to 5 take away doses per week After six months of continuous treatment and considered stable (on the correct dose and not missing doses) – eligible for up to 6 take away doses per week Minimal Supervision Regime The Minimal Supervision Regime or MSR is an additional category of of take away doses available to people who have been receiving Suboxone for a considerable period of time, and who have been assessed as very stable by their doctor. Under the MSR consumers may receive up to a 28 day supply of Suboxone at any one time. This type of supply can be dispensed like any other medication in a single, labelled container. To access the MSR a client must arrange to have their GP consult with an Addiction Medicine Specialist (AMS). If satisfied that the client is stable, the specialist will then sign off on a separate, dedicated permit. It may also be neccessary for the client to have a one-off consultation with the AMS.

Information about differents drugs. Substance education. Names, chemical make-up, effects, administration, harm reduction suggestions. More info available in our substance specific brochures. Substances Information DRUGS LIST DXM MORE 2C-B MORE Nangs MORE GHB MORE ' Poppers ' MORE Nitazenes MORE Cocaine MORE LSD MORE MDMA MORE Heroin MORE In Progress.