Transmission Magazine ED05

edition

5

june 2010

tran’s mission

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she’s apples

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EDITOR Scott West

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Tim Baxter Kay Bazley Jenny Douglas Conor Durkin Paul Harvey Rebecca Miers Sonam Paljor Ronald Prince Gideon Warhaft

CONTRIBUTING WRITER Jennifer Mills www.jenjen.com.au

CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Marty Schneider www.martyschneider.com.au

Skye Ogden www.skyeogden.com www.gestaltcomics.com

SPECIAL THANKS Heidi Coupland Sione Crawford

check us out Hepatitis NSW is an independent, community-based, non-profit, membership organisation.

We are funded by NSW Health. ph: (02) 9332 1853 fax: (02) 9332 1730

Hepatitis Helpline ph: 1800 803 990 postal address: PO Box 432

DARLINGHURST NSW 1300 AUSTRALIA

www.hep.org.au

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does not promote nor condone the use of illicit drugs. rather, it seeks to provide accurate information that will help people who already inject drugs to reduce risks and make safer choices.

Nothing in this magazine should be taken as recommending drug use.

contents contents page 5

where in the world is

page 6

evaluation update

page 8

tran’s mission

page 16

page 22

she’s apples

page 30

Question & Answer

?

Aside from Hepatitis NSW editorial comment, views expressed in this magazine or flyers enclosed with it, are not neccessarily those of Hepatitis NSW. Neither are such views necessarily those of our funding bodies.

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we want to make your stories into comics and have you as the star! you could write a story that we can turn into a comic script

or draw a comic with stick figures and send it in

if we use your story you will win $50 (gift voucher)

to find out more call the hepatitis helpline

1800 803 990

email your stories to

or post your letter to

transmission@hep.org.au

TRANSMISSION MAGAZINE PO Box 432 Darlinghurst NSW 1300

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where in the world is

?

send us your pictures of TRANSMISSION MAG in weird and wonderful places and we will put your photo in the next edition

ers ealth Work

Sexual H Aboriginal

politan SW Metro N e th f o rs N MAG Membe ANSMISSIO R T g in d a Network re

one, your ph h g u o r us th age otos to ebook p h c p a f r r u u o to o Send y st them o p r o email

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n o i t a u eval e t a d p u on i t a u l a ev update

over the last few months we have been busy finding out what you think of the magazine. we would like to Thank everybody who has been involved in the evaluation.

stay tuned we are working through it all now and look forward to letting you know what we found out in the next magazine we love your feedback and want to make the magazine something you want to keep reading. give us your thoughts on our facebook or twitter pages or contact us by email, phone or post (details page 4)

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6 31/05/2010 11:34:22 AM

ch

n

Looking for more information about

hepatitis?

Hepatitis NSW has lots of information booklets & brochures available. check out online or have them sent to you How canthem we sto hep C spreadin p g?

icine

ople use to reduc e liver verall health includ e Traditional M), Western herba l medicine, hy, massage, medit ation and

earch studies of these indicates that some therapies herbal k Thistle) can reduc e ormalise liver functi liver on test

rom a complemen tary

st has experience in working

rly qualified and belong to a al organisation atment will cost. on’s doctor and practitioner to comm unicate

mation about comp lementary Hep C Helpline.

•

People who inject should not share any injecting equipment, includ ing filters, water, swabs needles and syringes, spoons, and tourniquets.

Hands should be washed thorou ghly Ideally, people should before and after injecting. alway s use a new hit. Tables or bench fit for every es should be wiped people prepare a hit. Used fits should down before in a fitpack. be disposed of • People with hep C should not donate blood.

• Blood spills should be wiped up with absorbent paper towel and the spill site cleane d with detergent and water. Ideall y, single-use gloves should be worn.

• Cuts and woun ds should titis Ced with be cover to hepa waterproof adressi guide ngs.

• Body pierci ng and tattooing should be done premises that are at registered with the local council and who comply with the NSW Health Penetration Guide Skin lines.

• Razors, toothb rushes and other personal groom tools should not ing be shared.

• People should practice safe sex during sexual activities that might involve blood-to-blo od contact.

For more detailed information or to access the Skin Penetration Guide lines, phone the NSW Hep C Helpline.

What you need to know

Hep C and injec ting drug use

In Australia, inject ing drugs is the most common risk factor for becom ing infected with hep C. Anyone has ever injected who drugs may have possibly caught hep C. It doesn’t matter what was injected (heroin, methadone, pills, speed or steroids), blood-to-blood it contact during inject is the possible hep C. ing that transmits People who inject drugs will benef it from good medic follow-up after a hep C diagnosis. al Knowing wheth not you have hep er or C is important in looking after your health (see previo us page).

People who alread y have hep C shoul as possible to avoid d inject as safely passing the virus becoming reinfe on to others or cted with a differe nt HCV genotype sub-type. Being or hep C against further infect antibody positive doesn’t protec t ions.

For information about how to inject as safely as possib see “How can we le, stop hep C spread ing?” left, and contact the Hep C Helpl ine or NUAA (see right).

What you need to

know

1

For more inform ation

free

A brief introduction to hep C

People should speak to their doctor who, can provide refera if necessary, l to a liver specia list. This booklet designed to comp is lement the bookl et What you need to know: a guide to hep C. Copie s can be obtain calling the Hep ed by C Helpline (below ).

Hep C Helpline

(02) 9332 1599 (Sydn 1800 803 990 (other ey callers) NSW callers)

Prison’s Hep C Help

line NSW inmates can access the Helpl ine via number the common call 3 on list

Hep

Connect (teleph one peer suppo rt service) Phone the Hep C Helpline (abov

e) Hep C website (online detailed inform

www.hepatitisc.o

ation)

rg.au

Hep C Australasia (online peer suppo

www.hepcaustral

asia.org

rt forum)

ADIS (Alcohol and Drug Information (02) 9361 8000 Service) (Sydney) 1800 422 599 (regio nal NSW)

NUAA (drug use inform

(02) 8354 7300

ation and suppo rt) 1800 644 413 (toll free)

Family Drug Supp ort

1300 368 186

Multicultural HIV/ AIDS and Hepa

(information, suppo titis Service rt and resources than English) in languages other (02) 9515 5030 free call 1800 108 098 Local contacts includ e:

Sixth Edition – July 2009, Hepatitis C Council of NSW The Hepatitis C Council of NSW is primarily funded We acknowledge

by NSW Health the people of the various Aboriginal NSW as the traditio nations across nal custodians of the land on which we live.

It is a virus that lives in the blood and can make your liver sick Lots of people in Australia have hep C

Many people don’t know they have it

check out our website

www.hep.org.au AM 15/10/09 11:45

hepCv2.indd 1

or call the hepatitis helpline 1800 803 990 TRANSMISSION

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*

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* Needle Syringe Program (see page 16) 31/05/2010 11:36:01 AM

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C s i t i t a hep

* mmy

ot a du n e ’r u o y w o n k e *w

NSP

a quick guide to the

NEEDLE SYRINGE PROGRAM

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my

What is the NSP?

NSP = Needle Syringe Program.

In the past it was also called the ‘needle exchange program’.

If you see this symbol anywhere it means there is an NSP service located in the building.

The NSP is a service that provides people who inject drugs with free and confidential access to new injecting equipment.

It was set up in 1988 to provide new injecting equipment, in order to prevent people sharing used/old equipment.

This was a response to people getting HIV from sharing injecting equipment.

Today, the hep C virus remains a big issue for people who inject drugs.

NSPs help prevent the spread of hep C and HIV. There are more than 3,000 NSP outlets in Australia, with an estimated 1.2 million contacts with people who inject drugs each year.

What services does the nsp provide?

The NSP is a free and confidential service that provides:

access to a range of injecting equipment including “fitpacks’ (see page 19)

information and education about safer injecting and other drug related issues including reducing drug use and drug treatment

a place to dispose of used injecting equipment safely

referral to drug & alcohol and other health, legal and social services

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where can you find an nsp?

There are different types of NSPs which give people a choice of ways to get injecting equipment.

FIXED sites

These are places that offer NSP services and are located within buildings.

There are primary outlets which are stand-alone services specifically set up to provide the full range of NSP services.

Secondary outlets offer needle and syringe distribution and disposal as one of a range of other health or community services.

Secondary outlets can include community health centres, sexual health services, alcohol and other drug (AOD) services, youth services, some Aboriginal Medical Services (AMS) and hospital emergency departments. automatic dispensing Machines

Automatic dispensing machines (vending machines) are available in different locations and usually supply fitpacks and sometimes condoms.

Prices for fitpacks in vending machines are usually around $3. pharmacies

Many pharmacies across Australia provide sterile injecting equipment.

Pharmacists sell needles and syringes or exchange used needles and syringes for new ones at no charge.

There are also mobile-outreach services in some areas that provide NSP services to hard to reach people who inject drugs, who are unable or unwilling to attend other outlets. These services sometimes operate outside normal business hours by vehicle or on foot.

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What is a fitpack?

A fitpack is a black box that contains injecting equipment: a complete kit for injection.

The stuff inside a fitpack can be different depending where you get it from, but most of the time a fitpack will contain all or some of the stuff below.

A fitpack also has a slot for used needles.

The fitpack can be disposed of by returning to a sharps disposal bin at the closest NSP service.

inside a fitpack needles

cotton

spoon

(filter)

tourniquet

water

swabs

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what does injecting equipment have to do with hep c?

90%

of all new hep c infections comes from the sharing of injecting equipment

Hep C is spread by blood to blood contact.

this is when the blood of someone who has hep c, gets into someone elses bloodstream.

When someone is injecting drugs, there can be lots of blood around.

This means there is a bigger chance of coming into contact with infected blood if there is a group of people injecting together, or if someone is not using new injecting equipment.

It only takes a little bit of blood on ANY of the equipment used for injecting for the hep C virus to be passed from one person to another.

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has the nsp in australia been successful?

A report called the "Return on investment 2" released in 2009 found that between the 10 years 2000 to 2009:

The NSP in Australia prevented an estimated

32,050 new HIV infections 96,667

and

new Hep C infections

For every one dollar that has been spent providing NSP services, in the short term more than four dollars were returned in healthcare cost-savings.

spent

saved

The NSP had saved Australia $1.28 billion in health costs, and all for an investment of only $243 million.

For more information about the NSP or to find a drug and alcohol service near you in NSW call

ADIS

(Alcohol and Drug Information Service)

ph: 9361 8000 or 1800 422 599

(for callers outside Sydney) TRANSMISSION

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she’s apples

8am wednesday ..

8am wednesday ..

ADAM!! where’s your ADAM!! where’s your rent money? rent money?

8am wednesday ..

ADAM!!

ADAM!!

ADAM!! where’s your rent money?

ADAM!!

you have until the end of have until the end youyou have until the end of of the week or you are out week thethe week or or youyou areare outout

good morning

good morning to you too... good morning too... to to youyou too...

c’mon adam get up and get to centrelink to sort your payments out

no look at t

c’mon adam up and c’mon adam getget up and getget centrelink sort your to to centrelink to to sort your payments payments outout

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Adam, you got that Adam, you got that money you owe me? money you owe me?

way! no no way! look at the line... look at the line...

You can’t keep You can’t keep hiding from me ... hiding from me ...

a few people have HeyHey Ad, Ad, a few people have been asking you. they they reckon owe been asking forfor you. reckon youyou owe them money them money

yeah, to take yeah, telltell em em to take a a ticket join ticket andand join thethe lineline

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i’ve idea to

i could a break from i could taketake a break from crap around here all all the the crap around here earn myself some andand earn myself some money money

could i use phone could i use the the phone to to about job? callcall about thisthis job?

maybe i could maybe i could clean myself clean myself up up a bit too... a bit too...

sure, phones sure, the the phones are are over there over there 5 minutes later...

5 minutes later...

... long as long as you dont mind ... as as you dont mind hard work we’ll get along hard work we’ll get along fine,you stay here... fine,you can can stay here...

i’ll pick up at i’ll pick you you up at station. the the station. i’llin bea in a white i’ll be white ute ute

much it’s it’s notnot much but but a bed. it’s it’s a bed.

thanks Charlie, thanks Charlie, looking forward to it looking forward to it

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i’ve i’ve got got no no what ideaidea what to take! to take!

i really want i’ve only do i do really want to to i’ve only got got drugs bit left, taketake drugs withwith me? me?a bitaleft,

i’ll just i’ll just it taketake it withwith me. me.

i’ll just i’ll just packpack everything... everything...

e to b?

Oh no... i haven’t Oh no... i haven’t got got any any fits.fits.

i’ll have to get i’ll have to get some there some there

re

charlie!? hey hey charlie!?

g’day g’day adamadam

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wow, thats a a wow, thats lotlot of trees of trees

yea my

i’ll i’ll show youyou your room, show your room, getget some rest. we we have an an some rest. have early start tommorow early start tommorow

i’ll i’ll introduce youyou to to introduce all all those trees. those trees.

riserise andand shine shine cityboy! cityboy!

those apples areare those apples calling your name calling your name

wh

Hi i’m adam Hi i’m adam

i’m i’m Stella Stella

i haven’t worked thisthis hard i haven’t worked hard in ain long time, my my body is is a long time, body killing me me killing

i need to find i need to find some fitsfits some

is there a a is there chemist anywhere chemist anywhere around here? around here?

look around, look around, do do youyou think think there’s a chemist there’s a chemist around here? around here?

areare youyou ok?ok? if you areare getting sick, Charlie if you getting sick, Charlie hashas some stuff in the house ... ... some stuff in the house just askask himhim just

Thanks, i’ll i’ll figure it out.

Thanks, figure it out. have youyou gotgot anyany water? have water?

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to frie

* is that a fitpack? is that a fitpack?

yeah, check in in yeah, check my my backpack backpack oh oh SHIT! SHIT!

e

what would youyou what would know about know about fitpacks? fitpacks?

i know i i know i need one! need one!

andand i’ve i’ve gotgot fitsfits where do you findfind fits? where do you fits? andand no gear. same in the middle of of no gear. same we’re we’re in the middle oldold story hey!? nowhere outout here story hey!? nowhere here

WHAT!?

WHAT!? areare youyou forfor real? real?

yeah, i brought yeah, i brought some gear with some gear with me me butbut no no fitsfits

it’s it’s notnot easy, theres a a easy, theres health centre in town but but health centre in town unless youyou have a car it’s it’s unless have a car hard to get to to hard to get

to make it worse my my mum’s to make it worse mum’s friend works there so it friend works there soisit is even harder forfor me. me. even harder

let’s getget offoff early andand let’s early hitch a ride to the citycity hitch a ride to the andand getget some... some...

what a a what spinspin outout i don’t have tootoo much i don’t have much trouble finding them trouble finding them where i live where i live

ut. er?

* fitpack -(see page 19) TM ed 5.indd 27

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you know, i was hoping you know, i was hoping i i could away from this could getget away from this stuff coming out here. stuff by by coming out here.

yeah? is that why oh oh yeah? is that why youyou brought your drugs with you? brought your drugs with you?

i h

fin

smart ass! smart ass!

i don’t time i don’t useuse allall thethe time butbut if there’s drugs around if there’s drugs around i i sometimes do... sometimes do...

ar in

i try and keep it quiet though, i try and keep it quiet though, i don’t want everybody i don’t want everybody knowing business. knowing mymy business.

sometimes a mate sometimes a mate will grab fits will grab fits forfor when he goes me me when he goes them to to getget them himself forfor himself which helps which helps out... me me out...

i wish it was that i wish it was that easy forfor me,me, easy tell himhim to to getget tell me me some! some!

i know what i know what you mean... you mean... it seems like it seems like everybody knows everybody knows mymy business! business!

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u?

i hate going into places that i hate going into thethe places that around ‘cos paranoid areare around ‘cos i’m i’m paranoid about people seeing about people seeing me me andand finding that i sometimes use. finding outout that i sometimes use.

areare youyou ok ok to to go go in and them? in and getget them?

well aren’t well youyou aren’t going in are you? going in are you?

e r s

thanks Mate! thanks Mate!

wait a sec, wait a sec, putput these used ones these used ones in the in the bin bin willwill ya?ya?

geez, geez, drop off, up ... drop off, pickpick up ... what else what else do do want? youyou want?

how about how about an an cream? ice ice cream?

ps .. thats place ok,ok, thats thethe place over there, grab over there, grab as as many as they many as they willwill give you... give you...

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T p

q

what do i do if i find a used needle on the street ?

a

You should call the Needle Clean up Hotline ph: 1800 633 353

T p

The needle clean up hotline will give you advice about how to deal with the situation.

Most of the time they will contact the closest NSP service and arrange for them to pick up the needle and dispose of it safely.

send your questions to us

sms: 0404 440 103

ph: 1800 803 990

transmission@hep.org.au

if your question is urgent call the Hepatitis Helpline ph: 1800 803 990 (freecall) (freecall from prison too) TRANSMISSION 30

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C (

w

Treatment is available for people who inject drugs ilable for Treatment is ava t drugs c people who inje

• Treatment for Hepatit has improved patitis C

for He • Treatment ved has impro

• Up to 80% of peo le can be cured (de • Up to 80% of peop ding ep (d red can be cu enon g enotype) on genotype)

ject drugs, you • inIf you currently injec • If you currently

e same outcomes can achieve th can achieve the sam on treatment as anyone else

as anyone else on tr

• You have the right to access treatment if you are on • You have the rig bupe or methadone

treatment if you bupe or methad

Call 1300 437 222 (1300 HEP ABC)

u

www.hepatitisaus

tralia.com

Call 1300 437 222 (1300 HEP ABC) www.hepatitisaustralia.com

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sms: 0404 440 103

ph: 1800 803 990

www.facebook.com/TRANSMISSIONMAG

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transmission@hep.org.au www.twitter.com/TRANSMISSIONMAG

31/05/2010 11:39:30 AM