Please support the Network Against Prohibition in

[garywmeyerhoff]

The Darwin-based drug user organisation NAP formed in March 2002 to fight against human rights abuses faced by illicit drug users in the Northern Territory of Australia.

 

The group is a real grass-roots network made up of illicit drug users, past and present, their family members and other community members who are concerned and angry at the current approach being taken to illicit drugs on a Territory, an Australian and a global level.

 

NAP is a member of the Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users League and the International Coalition of Non-Government Organisations for Just and Effective Drug Policy. On a local level, we work closely with the Top End’s indigenous communities and with local independent media.

 

NAP are moving into our third year of grass-roots campaigning against draconian drug legislation in the Northern Territory and the escalating prison population.

 

Why donate money to NAP?

 

We receive no government funding and rely entirely on donations from individuals and organisations that are part of the network and our supporters elsewhere. Members of NAP pay virtually all costs. Most members of the network are on low incomes and struggle to survive without having to ensure the financial viability of the network.

 

In 2005, we will be encouraging our supporters to donate $5 per month to NAP. As an example, if all of the members of the yahoogroup participated that would be $500 coming in per month and would go a long way to ensuring that the NAP infrastructure is maintained.

 

Despite our lack of funding NAP have maintained a vibrant and important organisation. Last year, the network conducted a range of important activities in Darwin and online.

 

These include but are not limited to:

 

• Community Smoke-Ins

 

NAP held five of these drug law reform rallies in Darwin’s Raintree Park last year and are planning another five for 2005. These events provide an opportunity for NAP to engage with the wider community on illicit drug and drug law-reform issues in a relaxed setting with a free bbq and live music courtesy of local musicians. Aboriginal actor David Gulpilill attended the 19th Community Smoke-in which was a gesture that the community appreciated.

 

• Peer Education and The Underground

 

NAP worked closely with the Territories primary drug user group, TUF, to ensure the provision of relevant and accurate health information to drug users in the Top End. With assistance from interstate NAP supporters we are able to provide an Underground needle/syringe distribution service providing equipment free of charge to users, including equipment charged for at the mainstream NSPs. We provide informal support, information and referral to people who use illicit drugs.

We also provide user friendly health information on our site and communicate with users from the NT and all over the globe via email and our website.

 

• Facilitated the 3rd Darwin International Syringe Festival

 

2004 saw the 3rd successful Darwin International Syringe Festival, a week packed with drug law-reform activities and celebrations. Planning is already underway for this year’s Syringe Festival and we have released details early so that more international and interstate people can make it.

 

• Maintained the NAPNT Email list

 

We have maintained an email list with over 100 members who receive regular updates on the NAP campaign and our sporadic NAPNT digest newsletter.

 

• We have made massive gains with our site – napnt.org

 

We have managed to keep our growing website up to date and relevant to the needs of our members and supporters and this has been demonstrated by the number of hits – more than 300,000 hits per month for the past few months and continuing to grow. In January 2005, we had more than 23,000 page views.

 

The NAP crew have managed all of this under the constant threat of unlawful imprisonment, assault, harassment and intimidation from the NT Police State and while fighting a rearguard action in the Courts. At least 7 NAP members still face jail penalties in 2005.

 

Some people have to commute from interstate to attend court cases in Darwin. Some of them have to travel thousands of kilometres and this costs them a fortune in airline tickets. They need your support!

 

How can I support NAP this year?

 

There are a number of ways you can provide support to NAP without being in Darwin or getting involved in the frontline struggle.

 

1. Make a regular donation to NAP

 

If you have a credit card, you can make donations from most countries using the Paymate Express system. To make a donation with a credit card, click on the following link:

https://www.paymate.com.au/PayMate/ExpressPayment?mid=napnt

 

If you would like to make a donation using the more traditional means see:

http://www.napnt.org/donate.html

 

2. Join the napnt email list to keep informed on the struggle

 

Information is power. If you can’t afford to make a donation but want to keep abreast of what is happening in the Northern Territory, join the napnt yahoogroup. You will get 2 emails per month giving you all the latest news. To join click on the following link:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/napnt

 

3. Send us something from our wish list

 

We have an extensive wish list. Please have a look at the list and see if there is anything you can send us:

http://www.napnt.org/donate.html#wishlist

 

 

Thanking you in advance for your support in 2005!

 

If you require more information about NAP checkout our website http://www.napnt.org

 

Regards

 

 

NAP Mob

[Luke Skywalker]

Good to see you're still around Gary, and power to ya. I would encourage all members to check out this organisation, I for one agree with almost all their policies, (if I agreed with them all I'd be an automaton...) and I too feel that drug users in our society have been treated as 3rd class citizens for too long. We deserve just as many civil rights as the next guy, and there is far more damage caused to society overall through licit drug use alone, we cannot legitmately persecute a small minority for using drugs which certain people in power have deemed "unacceptable"...

 

GRRRR....

 

So yeah, support these guys, they rock IMHO.

 

Good luck Gary, will be watching for your progress...

 

You seen the West Australian page one article today? it's in the Australian Marijuana news forum. Would be great to see ya give em a razing about their totally hypocritical stance.

[tartass]

The average risk of HIV infection after a needlestick/cut exposure to HIV-infected blood is 0.3% (i.e., three-tenths of one percent, or about 1 in 300). Stated another way, 99.7% of needlestick/cut exposures do not lead to infection

.

 

Most needle stick injurys occur as a occupation hazard eg nurses/doctors

 

I looked at your site have sent you a donation but disagree with a few things.

 

Yes retractable needles could be used in 3rd world countries but as stated they can barely afford standard needles let alone retractable ones that cost 10x more i doubt any manufacturer no mater what there multi billion dollar profits are will donate free needles.

 

Also safe drug use starts with the users.Its not the governments responsability.Doesnt the N.T have a program like n.s.w.I was always able to pick up free 1ml syringes spoon swab cotton wool from countless places all for free.Supplied in a nice black box which can despose of the syringes without danger to the public.

 

Never in my 4 years of injecting did i once see the sharing of needles, there was no point they were free and we all had our own.

 

From the very first time i put a needle in my arm the guy i was with told me he had hep b and to stay clear of him whilst injecting.

 

Walk down the x or cabramatta and ask the junkies who shares needles not 1 will say they do.

 

User education and free needles is the key to reducing hep b c hiv so on

 

Perhaps advocating an injection center trial of your own in the N.T would be better.

It certainly has reduced the number of people dieing on the streets due to overdose.

 

Also knowing how to use a bloody needle should be taught to users learning to find a vein and not cause even more damage. They teach things like that at the injection center on a dummy of course as there not allowed to help people inject.

 

Mods feel free to delete this if you think im being a prick

[Pure]

I think it is just another perspective on the matter actually , I have had countless friends who inject and although I don't think they are the smartest people for doing it I have to admit that they ARE smat about how the go about it , I think this has allot to do with the education element that tartass was talking about NSW basicly excepted the the solotion wasn't to sweep them under the carpet but to bring it out and hopefully help who they can to at least get through that part of thier life, sure there are peopel who hated it but the fact is that herroin use and overdoses on an overall scale has had a drematic drop since

 

I know I would have been to many more funerals if it wasn't for certain education and rehabilitation programs

 

there are still allot of problems they need to sort out but they have taken steps in the right direction at least,

[Luke Skywalker]

Fact is, if injectable drugs weren't illegal, most deaths involving them would likely not be able to occur, as they're largely overdoses caused by users who have an impure product regularly, then get a purer one. Under a regulated supply, this wouldn't be an issue.

 

Support the NAP!

[garywmeyerhoff]

You can download a pdf (acrobat) version of our poster for the 21st Community Smoke-in for human rights at the following link:

 

NAP Smoke-In Poster

 

See you there on the 12th of March...