TalkingDrugs | Drug Information, Issues, Stories & News

Who’s Paying? Australia Leads in Psychedelic Insurance

In a global first, Australian insurer Medibank has announced it will offer coverage for psilocybin-assisted therapy, signalling a new phase in the long path towards normalising psychedelic treatment. The move…

Ryan Hesketh

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Nov 2, 2025

Drug Harm Reduction Drug Policy

Singapore and Hong Kong Crack Down Hard on Illegal Vapes

In Singapore, they’re sold as K-pods. In Hong Kong, they’re called space oil. And in Japan, it’s zombie juice. A new craze is sweeping the youth of the Asia-Pacific: vape…

Niko Vorobyov

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Oct 31, 2025

How Latin America Keeps Harm Reduction PUNK

How do we tackle misinformation when talking about drugs is considered subversive? Last month, I took part in ‘Hacking Fascism: Misinformation, Health and Drug Policy,’ a course that brought together…

Felipe Bermúdez

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Oct 29, 2025

Latest Stories

New Report Shows How Cities Can Lead on Drug Policy Reform

Noor Vissram

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Oct 24, 2025

Understanding how cities keep their people healthy, working, and connected is increasingly important across the world. This is particularly important…

Drug Harm Reduction Opioids

Georgia’s Push for Forced Drug Treatment is Misguided

Giorgi Minasovi

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Oct 22, 2025

The Georgian government has recently proposed forced treatment as an “alternative” for people who were previously engaged in private opioid…

Drug Policy Other Drugs

New African Union Drug Strategy Takes Aim At Synthetic Drugs

Ryan Hesketh

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Oct 16, 2025

The African Union has formally adopted a continent-wide drug strategy aimed at strengthening responses to the manufacture, trafficking and organised…

Coca & Cocaine Drug Policy Drug Trafficking

The Coca Paradox: To Regulate or Eradicate?

Ryan Hesketh

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Oct 14, 2025

In 2024, both Peru and Bolivia seized record amounts of cocaine, according to statistics obtained by InSight Crime, seizing 24…

Language matters.

The words we use to describe drugs and the people that take them has a real and deep impact. From stigmatising labels, to being accused of murdering someone,

This month, we’re bringing together our stories that focus on on how language can shape our lives and futures.

View All Posts

Drug Harm Reduction Opioids

Georgia’s Push for Forced Drug Treatment is Misguided

Giorgi Minasovi

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Oct 22, 2025

The Georgian government has recently proposed forced treatment as an “alternative” for people who were previously engaged in private opioid…

The Ukrainian Parliament gathered around the President speaking.

Drug Policy

Ukraine’s New Drug Strategy: Harm Reduction, Treatment and More

Emily Andrews

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Oct 6, 2025

On 21 August, the Ukrainian Government published its National Drug Policy Strategy until 2030 and approved its implementation plan for…

Drug Harm Reduction Drug Policy

Open Letter to the WHO Calls for Leadership on Harm Reduction

Emily Andrews

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Sep 10, 2025

This weekend, the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) published an open letter to the World Health Organisation (WHO), calling for…

Drug Trafficking Drugs & Development Stimulants

Can Syria Ever Leave Captagon Behind?

Jack Hayes

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Sep 9, 2025

Before the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, Syria controlled an estimated 80% of the global Captagon trade…

Drug Policy Opioids

The Overdose Crisis Is a Drug Policy Crisis

Julian Buchanan

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Sep 3, 2025

On Sunday 31st August the global drug community marked International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD). Globally, the day is an opportunity…

Resources

Drug Policy Drugs & Development

UNDP Report Calls for Drug Market Reforms to Achieve Global Development Goals

André Gomes

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Sep 19, 2025

The latest report published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is challenging governments to rethink their approach to drug…

Drug Harm Reduction Other Drugs

Alpha-PVP: What Is It, and Key Harm Reduction Tips

Noor Vissram

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Oct 23, 2024

Alpha-PyrrolidinoValeroPhenone (also known as alpha-PVP) is a relatively recent New Psychoactive Substance (NPS) in global circulation. While previously prominent in…

Drugs & Gender Psychedelics

We Need More Research into Ketamine Use By Women and Gender-Diverse People

Isabelle Gius

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Oct 21, 2024

On 20 June, in honour of World Psychedelics Day, the Women and Harm Reduction International Network (WHRIN) and TalkingDrugs published…

Drug Policy Drug Trafficking Drugs & Development

How to Regulate Drugs in the EECA Region, According to Civil Society

André Gomes

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Aug 29, 2024

While the current international drug control conventions establish a global consensus, alternatives are increasingly being adopted: there is decriminalisation in…