Drug safety
Information and support
Improving the safety of the local community, as well as the safety of people who use drugs, is important to the City of Sydney.
Harm minimisation
The City supports a 'harm minimisation' approach to drug use. While wiping out drug use may be the ideal, it isn't realistic, given that Sydney has some of the biggest markets for illegal drugs in Australia.
This approach focuses on minimising the harm drug use causes to the community and to the user. The community is at risk, for example, when drug users turn to crime to support their habit. Users are at risk of overdose, for example.
Sydney is home to the only medically supervised injecting centre in Australia and the City supports such initiatives. We also advocate for health and rehabilitation services to help stop drug users becoming trapped in the crime cycle.
Drug and alcohol strategy
Our drug and alcohol strategy outlines the City's response to the impacts of illegal drug use. Local governments are uniquely positioned to address drug harm with key partners because the impacts of drug use are felt at a community level the most. Councils can also respond to specific problems more swiftly than other levels of government.
You can download the City's drug and alcohol strategy below.
Local contacts
Information on safe drug use, health issues and more is available from these organisations.
Alcohol and Drug Information Service
Tel: 02 9361 8000
Redfern Harm Minimisation Unit
103-105 Redfern St
Redfern NSW 2016
Tel: 02 9395 0400
Kirketon Road Centre
Victoria Street (above the fire station)
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Sydney Local Health District
Level 11, KGV Building
Missenden Road
Campberdown NSW 2050
Tel: 02 9515 9600
Syringe management
Safe needle disposal is important for drug users and many other people in the local community who need sharps to inject medication to treat chronic conditions, such as diabetes.
The City manages 65 community syringe bins and offers needle clean-up services as required.
If you find a discarded syringe in a public place, please call the needle clean-up hotline on 1800 633 353. It is open 24 hours a day.
Free syringe disposal services are offered at the following City locations.
Bob’s Chemist Newtown
304-306 King Street
Newtown
Carillon Medical Centre Pharmacy
100 Carillon Avenue
Newtown
Diabetes Australia NSW
26 Arundel Street
Glebe
Fresh Therapeutics Broadway
M102, Level 1
Broadway Shopping Centre
Ultimo
Gold Cross Pharmacy
118 Redfern Street
Redfern
Sharpes Pharmacy
12-14 Flinders Street
Darlinghurst
Links
Alcohol and Drug Information ServiceSydney Local Health District
| Downloads | ||
|---|---|---|
| The City's drug and alcohol strategy | PDF 113.7 KB | Download |
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Last updated: Friday, 24 May 2013