I fully support Harm Reduction Australia and believe that its formation is much needed and long overdue. I believe Harm Reduction Australia should endorse and promote harm reduction as a policy approach, an area which has been significantly neglected over recent years despite its cost effectiveness and strong evidence base. Harm Reduction Australia is well placed to advocate for programs that seek to reduce the impact of illicit drugs to both individuals and communities.
‘Greg Denham has been actively involved in drug policy for over 25 years. A former police officer, Greg has local, national and international experience in harm reduction and has been a strong advocate for evidence informed policy and practice. From 2010-2019 Greg was the Executive Officer for the Yarra Drug and Health Forum in Melbourne where he helped with the introduction of Naloxone and needle and syringe dispensing machines as well as being instrumental in establishing Victoria’s first supervised injecting facility in North Richmond. Greg has also worked with law enforcement in developing countries advocating for the introduction of policies and practices that support needle exchange, methadone and condom programs to prevent the spread of HIV and other blood borne viruses.
Greg is also the Australian representative for the US based agency Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP). LEAP is an international group of police officers and other members of the criminal justice system who speak out against the War on Drugs and want to end drug prohibition.