Smoking and drinking rates plunge, but illicit drug impacts on the rise A new report shows Australians are smoking and drinking less, but stimulants are leading to a greater health burden.
North Richmond safe injecting room – Its progress so far Medical Director of North Richmond’s safe injecting room, Dr Nico Clark, speaks with newsGP about the progress of the facility and its benefits for injecting drug users and the surrounding community.
Treating steroid users in general practice – A harm minimisation approach Illicit steroid use may be more widespread among patients than GPs realise, and Dr Beng Eu believes harm minimisation is the best approach for practitioners to take.
Use of illicit cannabis does not reduce chronic pain, according to new Australian study An Australian study has found no strong evidence that using illicit cannabis reduces pain or use of opioids in people living with chronic non-cancer pain.
Survey reveals high patient demand for medicinal cannabis information from GPs More than 60% of the surveyed GPs reported patients asking about medicinal cannabis, but lack of training and the onerous process required to become a prescriber remain a barrier.
Medicinal cannabis: A GP examines the evidence GP and integrative medicine practitioner Dr Vicki Kotsirilos writes for newsGP about existing evidence for the provision and use of medicinal cannabis.
Trial designer reflects on Australia’s first music festival pill-testing service Taking pills at a music festival should never cost a person their life, emergency physician Dr David Caldicott told newsGP.
Minister and GPs reassure residents about allowing ice in Melbourne safe injecting room The Victorian Government’s decision to allow the use of ice in the North Richmond safe injecting facility was made with advice from police, addiction experts and frontline first responders, Mental Health Minister Martin Foley said.
RACGP backs plan to provide access to medicinal cannabis within 48 hours RACGP President Dr Bastian Seidel has applauded the Federal Government’s proposed plan to allow patients access to medicinal cannabis products within 48 hours.
Drug use on the rise throughout Australia Australians are using more legal – and illegal – drugs, according to the latest National Wastewater Drug Monitoring report.