AHA Media » Ann Livingston – VANDU

VANDU Protest and Vigil commemorated 40 years of injustice & deaths through Drug Wars Misery in Vancouver Downtown Eastside on Friday June 17, 2011

ahamedia — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 03:30:50 +0000

VANDU’s action in solidarity with the Students for Sensible Drug Policy who held candlelight vigils across North America to demand an end to the “drug war” declared by Richard Nixon on June 17 1971.

Forty years ago today, Nixon publicly declared war on drugs. Since then, the US federal government has wasted over $1 trillion ruining peoples’ lives and putting tens of millions of nonviolent citizens in jail. Canada is now mimicking US policy.

Tonight, more than 500,000 people across the US will have to sleep behind bars for violating a nonviolent drug offense. That’s more than all of western Europe locks up for ALL offenses. This disgrace is a fiscal and moral nightmare for all of us who care about freedom, responsibility and accountable government. Think about this: locking up one inmate costs about $30,000 per year in the US and $320/day in Canada– way more than is costs to go to college.

We’re fed up with these disastrous policies – Our governments MUST finally end this shockingly wasteful, counterproductive war.

VANDU is a group of users and former users who work to improve the lives of people who use illegal drugs through user based peer support and education

[embedhttp://qik.com/video/41156827][/embed]

AHA MEDIA films BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors (BCYADWS) Fundraiser at VANDU

ahamedia — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 03:28:19 +0000

The BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors (BCYADWS) recently had a Fundraiser at VANDU in Vancouver Downtown Eastside

The BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors (BCYADWS) is hosting a “caravan” across BC to:

promote the BCYADWS
connect with communities in BC,
sign up members
collect information about the health needs of drug users across the province and
to develop action strategies with communities to advocate for these established health needs

We are holding this fundraiser and requesting donations to cover the cost of BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors (BCYADWS) activities

Please contact Ann Livingston annlive@telus.net 604 719 5313

Email: Nicole@vandu.org

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Below is a video where Ann Livingston speaks on BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors Fundraiser at VANDU Part 1

Below is a video where Ann Livingston speaks on BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors Fundraiser at VANDU Part 2

Below is a video where Laura and Lorna with Ann Livingston speak on BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors Fundraiser at VANDU

Below is a video where Keith Smith speak on BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors Fundraiser at VANDU

Below is a video where Aiyanas Ormond speaks on BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors Fundraiser at VANDU

All preceeding videos were filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a New Media camera – Panasonic DMC-ZS3. AHA MEDIA is about exploring mobile media production through New Media cameras. For a better quality version of this video or for additional footage, please DM April Smith @AprilFilms on Twitter or Facebook.com/AprilFilms

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Below is a photo of Ann Livingston and Donald Macpherson

Below is a photo of Lynden B, Board Member of VANDU

Below is a photo of David Murray, Community Advocate

Below are photos of Ellen Woodsworth, Vancouver City Councillor

Below is a photo of Marion Allart of VANDU

Below is a photo of Meg with Mark Haden

Below is a photo of Keith Smith explaining the situation in Abbotsford’s Harm Reduction policy

Below is a photo of Mel Lehan, Ann Livingston and Libby Davis, MP for Vancouver East

***Additional photos and video footage of this event is available upon request***

AHA MEDIA films at World Hepatitis Day Rally by VANDU and BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors in Abbotsford on May 18, 2010

ahamedia — Fri, 21 May 2010 19:40:37 +0000

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In this video, Aiyanis Ormond of VANDU, Barry Shantz of BC and Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors and Ann Livingston of VANDU speak on Abbotsford City Council’s “Harm Production” Bylaw and the need for needle exchanges, safe injection sites and Harm Reduction to prevent Hepatitis C on the day before World Hepatitis Day Rally in Abbotsford, BC May 18, 2010

This video was filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a New Media camera – Panasonic DMC-ZS3. AHA MEDIA is about exploring mobile media production through New Media cameras. For a better quality version of this video, please DM April Smith @AprilFilms on Twitter or Facebook.com/AprilFilms

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In this video, Dave Murray of VANDU introduces Dr John Farley, an infectious disease specialist who has offices in Abbotsford and Vancouver who said Abbotsford has one of the highest rates of hepatitis C in the province, and there are too many restrictions placed on who is eligible for treatment through Pharmacare.at World Hepatitis Day Rally in Abbotsford May 18 2010

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In this video, Aiyanis Ormond and Ann Livingston of VANDU protest Abbotsford City Council’s “Harm Production” Bylaw and the need for needle exchanges, safe injection sites and Harm Reduction to prevent Hepatitis C on the day before World Hepatitis Day Rally in Abbotsford, BC May 18, 2010

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In this video, VANDU members carry a Coffin to represent Hepatitis C deaths during a march for World Hepatitis Day involving BC and Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors around Abbotsford City Hall and Police Station at a Harm Reduction Rally in Abbotsford, BC on May 18 2010

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In this video, Speeches include Aiyanis Ormond of VANDU, Barry Shantz of BC and Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors and Deb of Hep C Council of BC speak on Abbotsford City Council’s “Harm Production” Bylaw and the need for needle exchanges, safe injection sites and Harm Reduction to prevent Hepatitis C on the day before World Hepatitis Day Rally in Abbotsford, BC May 18, 2010

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In this video, Richard Cunningham of VANDU speak on Abbotsford City Council’s “Harm Production” Bylaw and the need for needle exchanges, safe injection sites and Harm Reduction to prevent Hepatitis C on the day before World Hepatitis Day Rally in Abbotsford, BC May 18, 2010

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In this video, a speech from a member of BC and Yukon Association of Drug World Survivors speaks on Abbotsford City Council’s “Harm Production” Bylaw and the need for needle exchanges, safe injection sites and Harm Reduction to prevent Hepatitis C on the day before World Hepatitis Day Rally in Abbotsford, BC May 18, 2010

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In this video, speeches from VANDU and BC and Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors including Keith Smith speak on Abbotsford City Council’s “Harm Production” Bylaw and the need for needle exchanges, safe injection sites and Harm Reduction to prevent Hepatitis C on the day before World Hepatitis Day Rally in Abbotsford, BC May 18, 2010

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In the next photos and video, members of VANDU and BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors marched into Abbotsford City Hall Bylaw office and dumped bags, buckets, boxes and plastic containers filled with used needles found in Abbotsford with Abbotsford City Hall Bylaw staff and Police officers standing by

Abbotsford does not have needle exchange program

Dave Murray of VANDU and Barry Shantz of BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors and other members including Richard Cunningham of VANDU speak on Abbotsford City Council’s “Harm Production” Bylaw and the need for needle exchanges and Harm Reduction to prevent Hepatitis C on the day before World Hepatitis Day Rally in Abbotsford, BC May 18, 2010

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In this video, Aiyanis Ormond of VANDU, Barry Shantz and Keith Smith of BC and Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors give final thougths on Abbotsford City Council’s “Harm Production” Bylaw and the need for needle exchanges, safe injection sites and Harm Reduction to prevent Hepatitis C on the day before World Hepatitis Day Rally in Abbotsford, BC May 18, 2010

AHA MEDIA films Sam Sullivan, former Mayor of Vancouver speaking about SALOME – Vancouver’s New Heroin Maintenance Trial at VANDU in Downtown Eastside

ahamedia — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 05:40:01 +0000

Sam Sullivan speaks about SALOME -

Vancouver’s New Heroin Maintenance Trial at

VANDU in Downtown Eastside

Sam Sullivan with Photographer Kim Stallknecht

http://www.samsullivan.ca

http://www.globalcivic.org/

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The following text is from http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/s…

The Study to Assess Longer-term Opioid Medication Effectiveness (SALOME) will choose a Downtown Eastside location next month and begin taking applications from potential participants in February, according to a Tuesday press release from the Inner Change Foundation, which, along with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, is funding the trial. With selection of participants supposed to last only three weeks, that means SALOME could be underway by March.

SALOME will enroll 322 hard-core heroin addicts—they must have been using at least five years and failed other treatments, including methadone maintenance—in a year-long, two-phase study. During the first phase, half will be given injectable heroin (diacetylmorphine) and half will be given injectable Dilaudid® (hydromorphone). In the second phase, half of the participants will be switched to oral versions of the drug they are using.

The comparison of heroin and Dilaudid® was inspired by unanticipated results from SALOME’s forerunner, NAOMI (the North American Opiate Medication Study), which began in Vancouver in 2005 and produced positive results in research reviews last year. In NAOMI, researchers found that participants could not differentiate between heroin and Dilaudid®. The comparison of success rate among injection and oral administration users was inspired by hopes of reducing rates of injection heroin use.

SALOME was also supposed to take place in Montreal, but Quebec provincial authorities effectively killed it there by refusing to fund it. SALOME researchers have announced that it will now proceed in Vancouver alone.

With an estimated 5,000 heroin addicts in the Downtown Eastside and a municipal government that has officially embraced the progressive four pillars approach–prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and law enforcement—to problematic drug use, Vancouver is most receptive to such ground-breaking research. It is also the home of Insite, North America’s only safe injection site.

The NAOMI and SALOME projects are the only heroin maintenance programs to take place in North America. Ongoing or pilot heroin maintenance programs are underway in Britain, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland.

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In the following 7 videos, Sam Sullivan, former Mayor of Vancouver talks about SALOME – Vancouver’s New Heroin Maintenance Trial and other things to Members of VANDU and Ann Livingston in Vancouver Downtown Eastside

Videos by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a New Media camera – Kodak Zi6. AHA MEDIA is about exploring mobile media production through New Media cameras. For a better quality version of this video, please DM April Smith @AprilFilms on Twitter or Facebook.com/AprilFilms

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Below is a photo of Sam Sullivan – Former Mayor of Vancouver, Richard Cunningham of VANDU, Peter Davies of AHA MEDIA, Robert Vincent – President of VANDU, Hugh Lampkin – Vice President of VANDU

AHA MEDIA attends part of the Sites of Empowerment Tour by CCAP in Vancouver Downtown Eastside on Saturday Oct 31, 2009

ahamedia — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:17:56 +0000

AHA MEDIA attends part of the “Sites of Empowerment Tour” by CCAP in Vancouver Downtown Eastside on Saturday Oct 31, 2009

Walking Tour

SITES OF EMPOWERMENT
with CCAP

Saturday October 31, 11:30am1pm
Meet at steps of Carnegie Community Centre, 401 Main

This tour with researcher Wendy Pedersen and volunteers of the Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP) will start at the front steps of the Carnegie Centre and visit some of the best loved places in the area according to the stories of low-income DTES residents.

Contemplate how these key sites give us clues as to how to build a vision for a safe, healthy and affordable low-income neighbourhood and how this future is threatened by gentrification.

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Below is an aerial photo of the tour of about 50 people which included Vancouver City Councillor George Chow while they stopped at the corner of Hastings and Carrall Street in the Vancouver Downtown Eastside

CCAP is building consensus within the low-income community for a vision of the Downtown Eastside that hopefully the city will adopt. Visioning reports and information on gentrification can be found on their blog:http://www.ccapvancouver.wordpress.com. All proceeds to CCAP. $10 for non-residents, pay what you can for local residents

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Below is a close up of an aerial photo of the tour of about 50 people which included Vancouver City Councillor George Chow while they stopped at the corner of Hastings and Carrall Street in the Vancouver Downtown Eastside

Part of the Heart of the City Festival in the Vancouver Downtown Eastside

http://www.heartofthecityfestival.com/festival-09/october-31/

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In the next photos and video, Hendrik Beune, Director of AHA MEDIA and Wendy Pedersen of CCAP speak at Sites of Empowerment tour in Vancouver Downtown Eastside on Saturday, Oct 31, 2009

This was filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a Nokia N95 mobile cameraphone. April is passionate and skilled in making Nokia films by exploring mobile media production through the camera lens of a cellphone. For a better quality version of this video, please DM April Smith @AprilFilms on Twitter or Facebook.com/AprilFilms

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In this video, Wendy Pedersen of CCAP and Ann Livingston of VANDU speak at Sites of Empowerment tour in Vancouver Downtown Eastside on Saturday, Oct 31, 2009

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In this video, Ann Livingston and Dave Diewert speak at Sites of Empowerment tour in Vancouver Downtown Eastside on Saturday, Oct 31, 2009

AHA Media » Ann Livingston – VANDU

VANDU Protest and Vigil commemorat​ed 40 years of injustice & deaths through Drug Wars Misery in Vancouver Downtown Eastside on Friday June 17, 2011

AHA MEDIA films BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors (BCYADWS) Fundraiser at VANDU

AHA MEDIA films at World Hepatitis Day Rally by VANDU and BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors in Abbotsford on May 18, 2010

AHA MEDIA films Sam Sullivan, former Mayor of Vancouver speaking about SALOME – Vancouver’s New Heroin Maintenance Trial at VANDU in Downtown Eastside

Sam Sullivan speaks about SALOME -

Vancouver’s New Heroin Maintenance Trial at

VANDU in Downtown Eastside

AHA MEDIA attends part of the Sites of Empowerment Tour by CCAP in Vancouver Downtown Eastside on Saturday Oct 31, 2009

VANDU Protest and Vigil commemorated 40 years of injustice & deaths through Drug Wars Misery in Vancouver Downtown Eastside on Friday June 17, 2011