News From The Drug War Front Podcast - 8.12.2020

<a href='https://newsfromthedrugwarfrontpodcast.podbean.com/e/news-from-the-drug-war-front-podcast-1882020/'>News From The Drug War Front Podcast - 8.12.2020 </a> <p>Aired 10:30am AEST 8.12.2020</p> <p>News From The Drug War Front with Geoff Ward and Marion Watson.</p> <p>Supported by: Canberra Alliance for Harm Minimisation and Advocacy and The Connection.</p> <p>Recorded at: 2xx FM98.3 Community Radio.</p> <p style="font-weight:400;">From 10:30am until noon on Tuesday December 8th there will be a new edition of the radio show “News from the Drug War Front” brought to you by CAHMA, Canberra’s peer-based drug user organisation. </p> <p style="font-weight:400;">-CAHMA is participating in the 16 days of Activism to eliminate gender-based violence. It concludes on December 10, Human Rights Day, with an Orange March from CAHMA to Margaret Timpson Park. Everyone will have an orange mask on and there will be banners, food, music and wrapping of trees in orange yarn. </p> <p style="font-weight:400;">- We have Ruth from the Women’s Harm Reduction International Network (WHRIN) as a guest on the show. The vision of WHRIN is that all self-identified women who use drugs have unfettered access to available, quality, relevant health, social and legal services in a context of upholding human rights without stigma, discrimination or criminalisation. </p> <p style="font-weight:400;">-In national news, the New South Wales government is considering a <a href='https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/dec/03/nsw-government-rules-out-decriminalising-drug-use-but-is-considering-depenalisation'>proposal to dramatically decrease penalties</a> for illicit drug possession. But just days after it was first reported, the policy is facing a vicious backlash from members of the government’s conservative wing, as well as tabloid media and talkback radio. But what is the policy, and why is it proving so controversial? </p> <p style="font-weight:400;">- Together with a ban on cigarette vending machines from 2022, the Dutch governme