AIVL CEO, Jake Docker on 2XX FM: ‘News From the Drug War Front’

“News from the Drug War Front” is a weekly radio show (10:30 am to noon every Tuesday) that is presented by the Canberra Alliance for Harm Minimisation and Advocacy (CAHMA). The show reports on and debates the harms caused by the prohibition of certain drugs that began on a global scale with the ratification of the 1961 United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. They aim to inform and educate listeners about the failure and the moral bankruptcy of the ‘war on drugs’ or, to describe it more accurately, the ‘war on people who use drugs’. 

In the conversation with Jeff Ward and Marion Watson, Jake speaks about AIVL’s Spotlight on Overdose campaign and how it shines a light on issues surrounding drug-induced overdose, a leading cause of death among people who use drugs (PWUD) and how stigma & discrimination significantly impact the ability of PWUD to access health, support services and experience a sense of recognition in a society that continues to discriminate against PWUD. Jake wants governments to realise that drug-related harm such as overdose are mainstream health issues, and the primary way to address them is by having more focus on harm reduction initiatives. Listen to the full recording from 2XX FM below: