Drug policy reform, radical harm reduction (it’s a movement not an intervention) ❤️ 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🇵🇸https://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.social/post/3lkuqnvolmk2mExcellent analysis from Dejusticia of last week’s extraordinary meeting of Commission on Narcotic Drugs! With the USA objecting to language around ‘gender’ & ‘biodiversity’, the consensus is now broken, & there maybe opportunity to review the drug treaties! https://www.talkingdrugs.org/a-historic-vote-at-the-cnd-colombia-challenges-the-global-drug-control-system/21 Mar 2025 08:01 +0000at://did:plc:igmniafmk2wb2mtfczombywv/app.bsky.feed.post/3lkuqnvolmk2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.social/post/3lkq7af4mq22bStarmer in Times today ‘The rising benefits bill is “devastating for public finances” & has “wreaked a terrible human cost’. Maybe address lack of progressive tax instead. Failing to tax the wealthy drives extreme inequality which ACTUALLY creates a terrible human cost & wrecks public finances19 Mar 2025 12:38 +0000at://did:plc:igmniafmk2wb2mtfczombywv/app.bsky.feed.post/3lkq7af4mq22bhttps://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.social/post/3lknfkbyt7k2nReally angry about this! PIP literally helps people with disabilities live their lives including being able to work. The way this is being framed is disingenuous there is nothing ‘moral’ about this plan! https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/mar/17/keir-starmer-to-unveil-drastic-disability-benefit-cuts-despite-opposition?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other18 Mar 2025 09:53 +0000at://did:plc:igmniafmk2wb2mtfczombywv/app.bsky.feed.post/3lknfkbyt7k2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.social/post/3lk2mc6jzy22gTax the rich! https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/mar/10/starmer-decries-worst-of-all-worlds-benefits-systems-ahead-of-deep-cuts?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other10 Mar 2025 22:33 +0000at://did:plc:igmniafmk2wb2mtfczombywv/app.bsky.feed.post/3lk2mc6jzy22ghttps://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.social/post/3ljx6tmbkps2dExcellent piece on Spain’s drug decriminalisation model & the expansion of harm reduction from our colleagues at the fabulous Metzineres https://www.talkingdrugs.org/spains-decriminalisation-decades-of-quiet-innovation/09 Mar 2025 13:54 +0000at://did:plc:igmniafmk2wb2mtfczombywv/app.bsky.feed.post/3ljx6tmbkps2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.social/post/3lhybmebbc225Just gave evidence to UN Cttee on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights on the UK’s crisis of drug related deaths. Read our submission to the Cttee submitted jointly with our friends @harmreductionintl.bsky.social @idpc.bsky.social & the drug user led group RATS. https://www.release.org.uk/publications/submission-committee-economic-social-and-cultural-rights12 Feb 2025 13:26 +0000at://did:plc:igmniafmk2wb2mtfczombywv/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhybmebbc225https://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.social/post/3lhvkaik7y22hRead @releasedrugs.bsky.social joint submission with @inquest-org.bsky.social & @robralphs.bsky.social on drugs in prison. Really proud of this piece, calls for decriminalisation, decarceration, harm reduction & transformative justice. https://www.release.org.uk/publications/inquest-dpsc-and-release-submission-justice-committee%E2%80%99s-inquiry-drugs-prison11 Feb 2025 11:23 +0000at://did:plc:igmniafmk2wb2mtfczombywv/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhvkaik7y22hhttps://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.social/post/3lfwcamw2ek2rThe @ukhomeoffice.bsky.social letter to ACMD asking if Ketamine should be reclassified to Class A ‘use in…people, aged 16-24 years, has increased by 231% since March 2013”. Ket was made a Class B drug in 2014. I don’t understand how they don’t see it! 🤦‍♀️ https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/updated-harms-assessment-of-ketamine-commissioning-letter/updated-harms-assessment-of-ketamine-commissioning-letter17 Jan 2025 07:42 +0000at://did:plc:igmniafmk2wb2mtfczombywv/app.bsky.feed.post/3lfwcamw2ek2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.social/post/3ldv7brj2t623Coverage of Glasgow’s drug consumption room due to open next month (hopefully!). Comment from me highlighting the need for these facilities across the UK to address the crisis of drug related deaths. (Would tag others but function doesn’t seem to work!). https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/dec/22/uk-to-open-its-first-safe-drug-consumption-room-amid-soaring-deaths?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other22 Dec 2024 10:26 +0000at://did:plc:igmniafmk2wb2mtfczombywv/app.bsky.feed.post/3ldv7brj2t623https://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.social/post/3ldrhxlj2l62dBrilliant news BC Government repeals public drug use bill which would have recriminalised people who use drugs who don’t have private spaces to consume! Congrats to our friends & colleagues at Pivot Legal & CDPC & others 💪 https://drugpolicy.ca/for-immediate-release-province-repeals-public-use-law-previously-blocked-by-b-c-supreme-court-for-irreparable-harm/20 Dec 2024 22:51 +0000at://did:plc:igmniafmk2wb2mtfczombywv/app.bsky.feed.post/3ldrhxlj2l62dhttps://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.social/post/3ld44kzoz5q2fWe are delighted to be hosting the London Joint Working Group on Substance Use & Hep C’s meeting to share the findings of the fabulous @pwud-pride.bsky.social research on safer inhalation pipes12 Dec 2024 11:01 +0000at://did:plc:igmniafmk2wb2mtfczombywv/app.bsky.feed.post/3ld44kzoz5q2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.social/post/3ld44c7uaqo2dUnsurprising nonsense from DM, demonstrating a total lack of understanding about fundamental human rights. People who use drugs, like all ppl, are entitled to basic rights. The Scottish Govt recognises realising ppls rights can improve health & social needs. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14183591/amp/Outcry-SNP-unveils-soft-touch-Charter-Rights-drug-users.html12 Dec 2024 10:56 +0000at://did:plc:igmniafmk2wb2mtfczombywv/app.bsky.feed.post/3ld44c7uaqo2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.social/post/3ld22lk33a72dSuch a rich & thoughtful discussions today at the launch of the Charter of Rights for People affected Substance Use. Enjoyed discussing decriminalisation, social & economic rights & broader human rights as part of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights panel11 Dec 2024 15:20 +0000at://did:plc:igmniafmk2wb2mtfczombywv/app.bsky.feed.post/3ld22lk33a72dhttps://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.social/post/3lczxyt4onz2mReally honoured to be part of the organising committee for this year’s Int Society for the Study of Drug Policy (ISSDP) in Manchester. Hosted by Manchester Met (who madly made me a visiting professor ☺️). Call for abstracts opened www.issdp.org https://www.issdp.org11 Dec 2024 14:34 +0000at://did:plc:igmniafmk2wb2mtfczombywv/app.bsky.feed.post/3lczxyt4onz2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.social/post/3lcztqbpkuv2sAt launch of Charter of Rights for People affected by substance use. First Minister discusses need for ppl who use drugs to be listened to, for their rights to be respected & to be treated with dignity. @releasedrugs.bsky.social @globalcdp.bsky.social @idpc.bsky.social @harmreductionintl.bsky.social11 Dec 2024 13:17 +0000at://did:plc:igmniafmk2wb2mtfczombywv/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcztqbpkuv2shttps://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.social/post/3lck73gyylm2vExcellent thread on the CSJ report [contains quote post or other embedded content]05 Dec 2024 07:58 +0000at://did:plc:igmniafmk2wb2mtfczombywv/app.bsky.feed.post/3lck73gyylm2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.social/post/3lcic2jkj5e2nExcellent insights from Zaved Mahmood from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human rights highlighting how drug policies must be grounded in human rights, emphasises the role of the Guidelines on HR & DP @unaids.bsky.social @undp.bsky.social @who.int04 Dec 2024 13:46 +0000at://did:plc:igmniafmk2wb2mtfczombywv/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcic2jkj5e2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.social/post/3lcfqeuumuq2zAs Hungary defunded NSP & declared a new war on drugs in 2013, the number of ppl accessing treatment fell. NSPs are great for connecting ppl with services. And if you target & criminalise ppl using drugs then you are actively deterring them from accessing treatment. Excellent from Lauren Porter03 Dec 2024 13:24 +0000at://did:plc:igmniafmk2wb2mtfczombywv/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcfqeuumuq2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.social/post/3lcfop4nhxz2c@pwud-pride.bsky.social presenting on the brilliant Safer Inhalation Pipe Project. This work is vital, there is so little to engage ppl into harm reduction & this is a serious step in the right direction! #ehrc202403 Dec 2024 12:54 +0000at://did:plc:igmniafmk2wb2mtfczombywv/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcfop4nhxz2chttps://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.social/post/3lcfi7bvt2v2zAlso @matsouthwell.bsky.social on here - you should definitely follow him #harmreductionhero [contains quote post or other embedded content]03 Dec 2024 10:58 +0000at://did:plc:igmniafmk2wb2mtfczombywv/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcfi7bvt2v2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.social/post/3lcfi5fbbee2wGreat session on stimulant harm reduction at #EHRC2014 with @matsouthwell.bsky.social @unodc.bsky.social importance of intersectional approach & working with community partners is a fundamental take away!03 Dec 2024 10:57 +0000at://did:plc:igmniafmk2wb2mtfczombywv/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcfi5fbbee2whttps://bsky.app/profile/niamhrelease.bsky.social/post/3lcfg6lw5wx2iIf you haven’t already follow the fabulously brilliant @pwud-pride.bsky.social 💪 her research is breaking down barriers for people who use drugs. From safer harm reduction equipment to peoples rights in treatment, Magdalena’s work is some of the most important happening right now. [contains quote post or other embedded content]03 Dec 2024 10:22 +0000at://did:plc:igmniafmk2wb2mtfczombywv/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcfg6lw5wx2i