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For media enquiries, please contact Jennifer Willis, ADF Media on 03 9611 6109, 0430 948 380. If your enquiry is not of an urgent matter, please feel free to email us on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it


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New and emerging drugs - seminar annouced

28 March 2013

New recreational drugs are emerging at an unprecedented rate and represent one of the biggest challenges in the alcohol and other drug field for 2013. In 2011 there were double the number of new drugs detected by the EMCDDA than in 2009.

The upcoming Australian Drug Foundation prevention seminar on 30 April 2013 at the State Library of Victoria will examine how clinicians, allied health and youth workers, researchers and policy makers can respond to the questions arising from this phenomenon including:

Can new laws curb the increasing number of new recreational drugs on the market?
How can these drugs be monitored and analysed to determine potential harms?
Should education be provided to warn of the harms?
How can clinicians treat people who use these new drugs?

This free, interactive seminar will give you the opportunity to discuss these issues with the experts.

A free live webinar is available for those who cannot attend the seminar in person.

Places are strictly limited, so please be advised to register early. For registration queries contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 1300 85 85 84.

This seminar is part of the upcoming prevention series that includes two new publications on new and emerging drugs.  These publications will be available for download in advance of the seminar.

To keep up to date with the latest seminar information:

Follow #DrugInfo via follow via @AustDrug on Twitter.

Join our Facebook event.
 
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ADF's Good Sports Program wins HESTA Award at ACOSS National Conference

The Australian Drug Foundation (ADF) was last night awarded a prestigious Hesta Community Sector Award for its flagship community program Good Sports.

Awarded on 25 March 2013 at a gala dinner as part of the ACOSS National Conference in Adelaide, ADF received the Organisation Award for outstanding achievements of an organisation operating in the community sector from a field of more than 100 entries.

Good Sports is Australia’s largest preventive health program for the community sporting sector, with more than 5,600 community sporting clubs involved around Australia, reaching an estimated 1.5 million people. For over 12 years Good Sports has supported sporting clubs across Australia to become safer, healthier, more family-friendly environments by reducing alcohol and tobacco-related harms within the club and the wider community. It also now addresses nutrition and mental health through its Good Sports + Healthy Eating and Good Sports + Healthy Minds programs.

Head of Community Programs Maree Sidey said she welcomed the recognition and thanked the participating clubs, supporters, funders and staff.

"Good Sports is a free program for sporting clubs across Australia and is unique in the way it is enabling people to adopt healthier lifestyles and build stronger communities at a grassroots level. Good Sports clubs are helping make sure the focus of community is on sport."

"I would like to thank all the Australian Drug Foundation team in accepting this award, everyone has played a part in creating and supporting the delivery of our important programs."

"We'll use the $10,000 prize to support clubs through our national awards program as well as to provide more Responsible Service of Alcohol training to community sports clubs."

ADF also wishes to acknowledge the community sector for the role it plays supporting people affected by drug and alcohol related problems, their children and loved ones. The ADF believe supporting the prevention focused work of the community sector is vital and would like to thank the sponsors including ME Bank, Hesta and ACOSS.

ADF congratulates the other four organisations shortlisted for the award: Red Cross Migration Support Service, White Ribbon Australia, Carers Victoria, Toowoomba Youth Service.

Media Enquiries: Jennifer Willis or Tara Oldfield 03 9611 6109 or 0430 948 380.

Jon McGregor receiving award

ADF's Community Programs Manager Jon McGregor receives the award in Adelaide.
 
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New research validates call for limited trading hours

A new report comprehensively looking at the behaviours of Australian drinkers in five major cities supports the ADF’s call for alcohol limited trading hours.

The Patron Offending and Intoxication in Night-Time Entertainment Districts (POINTED) report shows that during extensive research observations across Australia, after 1am, nearly one third of patrons had a blood alcohol contented of 0.1 or above.

It also showed that levels of intoxication increased steadily as the night went on, lending support to the need for closing time regulations and a ban on serving alcohol 60 minutes before closing if we are serious about reducing alcohol related harm in the community.

For more findings, including the role pre-drinking and high energy drinks in drinker’s behaviours, read the report executive summary and full report here.
 
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Licensing changes a worry in Queensland
The Australian Drug Foundation (ADF) is concerned about changes to Queensland’s regulations about how and when alcohol is sold.

The Queensland Government has announced community groups and schools will face less control over the serving and sale of alcohol. They no longer need to apply for a liquor permit to sell alcohol and they will not need to have anyone trained in responsible service of alcohol.

The ADF’s Head of Policy Geoff Munro said, “Excessive drinking is more likely to occur when licence restrictions are removed and servers aren’t trained in responsible serving practices”.

Mr Munro said this may be a dangerous sign that Queensland is removing controls over the drug that does the most damage to Queenslanders.

“Queensland has the second highest proportion of risky drinkers in Australia and risky drinking leads to higher rates of drink driving, assault, and domestic violence and a bigger burden on the health and hospital systems.”

He added, “It hardly makes sense for Queensland to save money on regulations if it means paying more money for law enforcement and the health system due to alcohol problems and harms.”

“Many parents have complained to the ADF about excessive drinking at school discos, fetes, and sports events, particularly when children are present,” said Geoff Munro. “It undermines the school health program that teaches children that drinking is not essential to having a good time.”

“Schools do need to consider whether selling alcohol is an appropriate way of raising funds. The Australian Drug Foundation recommends schools talk to their community about whether serving alcohol when students are present is appropriate.”

Parents point out that schools are not bars or hotels, and parents can drink at home if they wish.

Media Enquiries: Jennifer Willis Mobile 0430 948 380
 
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ADF's Good Sports program a finalist in national community sector awards

The Australian Drug Foundation's Good Sports program has been recognised as a finalist for its work to make community sporting clubs healthier, safer and more family friendly places.

The awards recognise community sector professionals who excel in service provision, advocacy and leadership in the Organisation category.

Read the media release here.

To learn more about the awards visit hestaawards.com

To learn more about the Good Sports program visit goodsports.com.au
 
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