Auckland journalist and media commentator. He is the owner of the Public Address community of blogs,
Journalist Russell Brown talks with those behind free drug checking, whose job is made all the more difficult for having to operate under the legal radar.
After a big build up, the UN's global drug talks took place in April, with mixed results. Russell Brown was there.
Pharmac has recently started funding new drugs that have amazing curative effects for more than half of people in New Zealand with hepatitis C.
Russell Brown looks at a poorly informed phenomenon of near hysteria that is putting vulnerable people out onto the street.
NGOs closest to the UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on the world drug problem in April aren't expecting big change, but they see things moving in the right direction.
A succession of reports show that Māori are affected significantly more than Pākehā by our drug laws. Russell Brown looks into the issues and presents the views of 4 Māori MPs.
The outlook for those suffering from hepatitis C is pretty bleak. Russell Brown looks at the NZ situation and some encouraging developments overseas.
People are taking illicit substances that are not what they expected, with alarming results. Russell Brown investigates what can be done about this
With global drug policy coming under the spotlight in the lead up the UNGASS 2016, we take a look one part of a playing field on the move.
New Zealand’s history of drugs and the laws to control them.
New Zealand’s Psychoactive Substances Act has been described as world leading. But in 2014, public moral apoplexy and political disquiet resulted in a reversal of what the legislation was designed to achieve.
Politics, the law and logistics make it difficult to provide frank, up-to-date information on psychoactive drugs. That’s where websites like Erowid and Bluelight come in.