A Better Deal
APSU believes drug use is a health issue and that those who seek treatment or harm reduction services deserve to be treated in accordance to the rights to which all people are entitled. To this end, APSU is committed to a better deal for all those who have used or are using alcohol and other drugs whether these people are in prison or living in the community. United as people who use Alcohol and other Drug Services, we can improve the services available, eliminating the barriers to health and recovery
APSU is working on a number of advocacy issues:
Forced Treatment
Read APSU's response to The Severe Substance Dependence Treatment Bill 2009
Read The Severe Substance Dependence Treatment Bill 2009
Send your own response to
Daniel Andrews/ Minister for Health daniel.andrews@parliament.vic.gov.au
Lisa Neville/ Minister for Mental Health lisa.neville@parliament.vic.gov.au
Robert Clarke/ Shadow Attorney-General robert.clark@parliament.vic.gov.au
Mary Wooldridge/ Mental Health, Drug Abuse and Community Services mary.wooldridge@parliament.vic.gov.au
Smoking is a Lifeboat
Read APSU's issue paper that put forwards the reasons for our concerns with smoking bans in withdrawal services.
Police Checks
A Criminal Records Check is an accepted part of employment/volunteer application processess. Criminal Records Checks are viewed as a risk management tool. APSU argues that the Criminal Records Checks are not necessarily an affective means of assessing whether an applicant will commit a crime or breach an individual's right/rights whilst employed/volunteering. However, Criminal Records Checks are affective at shutting out people from employment and education. APSU is compiling people's experience of Criminal Records Checks. Please contact us if you want to contribute your story.
Read 'A Fairer Way of Dealing with Criminal Records in Victoria' to find out more
Injectable Thiamine (Vitamin B1) for People who are Chronic Alcoholics:
As you may be aware, people who are chronic alcoholics are prone to getting alcohol related brain damage or ‘wet brain’. The medical term for this is Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome and it is caused by a lack of the vitamin thiamine. Although people who are alcoholics can take thiamine tablets to prevent permanent damage from occurring, injectable thiamine is much more effective. APSU is advocating for the injectable form of this vitamin to be used in treating people who are alcoholics.
In response to APSU’s letter requesting the development of Australian Guidelines for the Treatment and Prevention of Wernicke Korsakoff Syndrome in Alcoholics, the National Health and Medical Research Council have agreed to perform a literature review with the view to publishing evidence-based statements about the use of injectable thiamine in the treatment and prevention of Wernicke Korsakoff Syndrome. Read the lastest response from the National Health and Research Council.
Psychoactive Nitrous Oxide (PAN) - Nitrous Oxide (Yes- that’s laughing gas)
This has been used successfully in South Africa and Finland for many years to treat withdrawal symptoms in people who are addicted to alcohol and other drugs with excellent results. This treatment alleviates symptons within twenty minutes for people addicted to alcohol, enabling them to work and live in the community. We want a clinical trial in Australia to further investigate the effectiveness of this treatment. Read more
Waiting Times
Waiting times for detox treatment brings about both physical and psychological duress for people who urgently want to withdraw off a substance and their families. Click here to read The Waiting Times Report.
Where's The Help When a Person has a Mental Health and Substance Use Issue and Engages with Services?
People who identify as having a mental health and substance use issues can come up against unmoveable barriers when obtaining help. APSU has compiled their experiences. Read the report. Read The Department's of Human Services Dual Diagnosis Key Directions and Priorities Paper
James Boag
The good news is that we have been successful with enabling the removal of the code of conduct from the James Boag Website targeted at potential James Boag tester-recruits who were required to swear an oath that included the following statements:
• I am duty bound to maintain the fine quality of Boag's Draught by testing it regularly
• I shall never say no to making a bottle-shop run, no matter how far it is or time of day
• I will unflinchingly face up to any bouncer, bitchy barmaid or whining girlfriend who tries to stop me testing Boag's Draught.
• I pledge to test Boag's Draught and only Boag's Draught as long as I have breath in my body
The statements were deemed as contradicting the Advertising Beverages Advertising code because theses suggested there was never a time to stop drinking, that drinkers should never listen to people who advise them to stop drinking, and drinkers are encouraged to drink for as long as they can.
Thanks to Peter Darroch, the APSU Steering Committee Chairperson, who instigated and pushed for this complaint.
ABAC Complaints Panel Determination
Individual Advocacy
If you require help with an individual advocacy issue email us or phone us on 9573 1736 or 9573 1776