The Drugreporter Podcast Rights Reporter Foundation

An interview with Anton Basenko, chair of the Ukrainian Network of People Who Use Drugs

The Russian aggression against Ukraine causes tremendous suffering for the Ukrainian people in general - and especially for vulnerable groups with special needs, such as people who use drugs. In this video interview Anton Basenko explains how their communities struggle to survive, how brave harm reduction workers save lives amid destruction of the war and how people in other countries can help them.

Please support Ukraine - we give you a few links where you can make a donation:

Government official site:
war.ukraine.ua/support-ukraine/

“Support to Ukraine” by EHRA
https://harmreductioneurasia.org/support-to-ukraine/

Ukrainian Network of People Living with HIV (Network 100% LIFE) https://network.org.ua/ru/100-life-has-launched-collection-of-humanitarian-aid-for-patients-and-health-professionals/

Ukrainian Network of People who Use Drugs (PUD.UA / VOLNA)
https://www.facebook.com/PUD.Ukraine/posts/1126521198145676
(Or support can be sent directly to Oleg Dymarestkii (Director of the Network) via Western Union. But if you use this way, please send to olegdumar@gmail.com
the number of the transfer; the country from where transfer has been sent; the name of the sender; the currency of the transfer; the amount of the transfer.

Ukrainian Network of Women who Use Drugs (UNWUD)
https://www.facebook.com/UNWUD/posts/7172914236115203

National Sex Workers Network - Legalife-Ukraine
https://legalifeukraine.com/en/news-en/the-world-supports-us-thank-you-27210/

Ukrainian National organisation of the Men having Sex with Men and other Gay Men ‘Alliance.Global’:
http://ga.net.ua/en/donate-2/
(to support Shelters for LGBTQI+ specifically https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NrWGaY-S05i-4ZvQvEUqv7rYhTzy4a90/view?usp=sharing

Ukrainian National organisation of Transgender People ‘Cohort’:
https://cohort.com.ua/donati/

International Charitable Foundation ‘Alliance for Public Health’ (leading Ukrainian civil society organisation covering more than 300,000 key populations with HIV, TB and VH services and treatment on daily basis and advocating their needs and and rights, accumulating funds for centralized support of all communities)
https://aph.org.ua/en/news/statement-of-the-alliance-for-public-health-in-connection-with-russia-s-military-aggression-against-ukraine/

In Today's episode: Changing attitudes in Australia. Life saving overdose prevention sites in New York. New Drug Strategy in the UK. Police commander faces stack for drug use. 4 men charged in Michael K. Williams case. Malta sets example of cannabis legalisation.

The new German coalition government has announced its intention to legalise the use of cannabis and to create a strict regulatory system for the recreational cannabis market. There are few details known about how this system will operate in reality. We interviewed Georg Wurth, the chairman of the German Cannabis Association, to gain some insight into the political process.

Drug policy news from around the world!
In today's episode:

- Legal regulation of cannabis comes to Germany
- Luxembourg: adults will be allowed to grow up to 4 plants
- Switzerland: parliamentary commission decides to end cannabis ban
- Malta: cannabis users will be allowed to form social clubs
- What Experts Think About Cannabis Legalisation in Europe

Drug policy news from around the world, in today's episode:

- Italy set to hold a referendum on decriminalising cannabis
- Warnings instead of prosecution for Class A drug users in Scotland
- U.S. House passes bill to end disparities in crack cocaine sentences
- Zurich to launch recreational cannabis trial
- Teen use of marijuana did not increase with legalization in the US
- #MoreThan Video Contest

Drug policy news from around the world, June 2021 Edition.
- Connecticut legalises cannabis.
- Germany: Cannabis legalization becomes election campaign issue.
- Federal Support for Harm Reduction in the US.
- EMCDDA Publishes Its Annual Drug Report.
- The 50th anniversary of the US War on Drugs.
- Government of Canada helping expand access to safer supply across Canada.