Experience Matters: Emerging Drugs and Trends - Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users League

Emerging Drugs and Trends

Nitazenes, a synthetic opioid that can be up to 50 times stronger than fentanyl, is increasingly being found in unexpected substances like cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA across Australia.

AIVL spoke to our Network and Partners about the impact of emerging drugs in Australia and how we are responding to the situation to reduce harm.

Watch the Video & Listen to the Podcast

“Why Does Experience Matter? Hear from Our Participants

Paul

Carol

Tim

Chris

Behind the Scenes: Faces from the Podcast

Rochelle, Harm Reduction Services Manager at NUAA

Felicity, Harm Reduction Activist

Pudgey, Community Member

Dr Jack Freestone from NCCRED

Filming for our Experience Matters project in Kaur

Filming for our Experience Matters project in Kaurna Country, Adelaide. On the couch we have Paul Dessauer, CEO of Peer Based Harm Reduction Western Australia and Emily Ebdon, Board Member of Tasmanian Users and Health Support League and AIVL Campaigns and Capacity Building Lead. Link in bio! #harmreductionsaveslives #pwud #humanrights

Experience Matters is AIVL's Harm Reduction storyt

Experience Matters is AIVL's Harm Reduction storytelling series, featuring three short films and three podcast episodes— out now! While we'll be sharing snippets on social media, you can watch and listen to the full series under the resource section of our website.

This series explores key issues impacting our community today, including the rise of nitazenes and other emerging drug trends. It also highlights the crucial role of Drug User Organisations in overdose prevention, education, BBV prevention, testing, and treatment and more. We also look at the importance of ethical collaboration and how to build meaningful, mutually beneficial partnerships with the community. Link in bio #internationaldrugcheckingday #harmreductionsaveslives #pwud #humanrights

CheQpoint, Queensland’s only drug checking servi

CheQpoint, Queensland’s only drug checking service will very shortly close its doors due to no ongoing funding to continue this life saving service to the community.

🌟 Queenslanders are rallying to save drug checking. If you live in Queensland, take action NOW! Visit the website in our bio to easily email your local MP and make your voice heard.

AIVL as an organisation founded in response to the

AIVL as an organisation founded in response to the HIV crisis in the late 80s, honours the strength, resilience and leadership of women who use drugs living with HIV. Women who use drugs, including those living with HIV, have been at the forefront of harm reduction in Australia from the very beginning. AIVL remains committed to amplifying their voices, expertise, and ending stigma and discrimination in all their manifestations.

#WomenLivingWithHIV #WWUD #HarmReduction #PeerLeadership

Today, we celebrate the strength, resilience, and

Today, we celebrate the strength, resilience, and leadership of women —especially the incredible women who use drugs who push for change, fight for justice, and uplift our community every day. 💜

#InternationalWomensDay #AccelerateAction #IWD2025 #WWUD #Equity #harmreduction

Straya, do we have your attention? Good! We need

Straya, do we have your attention?
Good! We need you to know that syphilis cases have tripled in the past decade, with over 6,000 cases reported in 2022, including rising cases of congenital syphilis. Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection that often people don't know they have, but left untreated, it can cause serious health issues. We need to keep our community safe. Condoms are one of the easiest ways to protect yourself and your partners against STIs like syphilis. Most of our NSPs provide free condoms and some provide testing for syphilis as well as hepatitis C and HIV.

You Can't Say That – AIVL's New Webinar Series

You Can't Say That – AIVL's New Webinar Series
Some ideas are backed by evidence, grounded in logic—yet still face pervasive stigma and are widely misunderstood in society. AIVL’s new webinar series, You Can’t Say That, tackles these controversial yet crucial conversations head on.
In our first session, we’re taking on a common misconception about people who use drugs.

People who use drugs make excellent parents. So why does Australia’s cultural narrative insist otherwise? Join us as we challenge harmful discrimination, break down the evidence, and explore the real stories behind the stigma.

Register now to be part of the conversation. (link in bio)