By Hannah Westwater, Editor at Buzz Magazine
Media coverage of drug-related issues has reached fever pitch. It’s often stigmatising and sensationalised, and even more often ignores the voices of the people whose day-to-day lives are behind the headlines.
Buzz pushes back against that. It puts vital harm reduction tips and resources into the hands of people who need it, and gives people with living experience a chance to tell their stories.
Scotland’s drugs crisis can’t be separated from high rates of poverty, poor-quality housing and a struggling healthcare system. The magazine will explore these systems, their failings and their successes, through the eyes of the people trying to navigate them.
The magazine is steered by a group of people from across Scotland with living experience of drug use. As the peer editorial board, they decide the tone, content and look of Buzz. Everything from its name, its imagery, and the language used to the most important stories to tell and how they’re told is directed by them.
They conduct interviews, research and gather information within their communities, write stories and feed back on the questions their peers want answered. Throughout the production of Buzz, they’re being trained in journalistic skills with a view to gaining a qualification.
The magazine is aimed at people who use drugs – physical copies of the magazine have already been distributed to engagement groups and services across Scotland – but we know others are looking in too. That’s why it also aims to humanise the people so often treated as one-dimensional and lesser than.
Pauline Ormsby, a Fife-based member of the editorial board, said: “Since being involved in the magazine I’ve realised what I’m capable of contributing in a way I never thought possible.
“I really like being part of something bigger than myself.”
And Lindsey Coyle, from Elgin, said it means a lot to her to be part of something that could impact the future of younger people who use substances.
“There’s nothing I would love more than to affect change within services and hopefully prevent younger people from going down a dangerous path.”
Buzz is facilitated by Scottish Drugs Forum, but the project is independent. Editorial decisions, messaging and conclusions – or lack thereof – come entirely from the peer editorial board and the wider community.
Kilmarnock-based Nikki Earl, another board member, said: “I’ve got high hopes for the magazine and have really enjoyed being a part of it.
“I’ve felt really encouraged since getting involved – my ideas for stories are getting more intuitive and my confidence in gathering accurate information is growing.”
Issue 1 focuses on easy-to-digest tips and resources, which the editorial board felt should be the immediate priority.
Kirsten Horsburgh, chief executive officer of Scottish Drugs Forum, said: “This magazine is proof that when people with living experience lead the conversation, the stories are more honest, more urgent, and more human.
“We’re delighted to see this vision become reality with the launch of the first issue and proud to facilitate the creation of a space where peer voices drive harm reduction forward, challenge stigma and inspire action.”
You can read Buzz here, and contact us at hello@buzz.scot.