The Community Alcohol Action Network (CAAN) is a program of the Australian Drug Foundation (ADF) which encourages people to take action to reduce alcohol related problems and harms within their own circles.

CAAN is supported by the Australian Drug Foundation and the Department of Health in Victoria.

CAAN'S goal is to challenge the "cultural place" of alcohol and helps people to reduce risky drinking within their family environments and their community. In particular CAAN encourages Victorians, and other Australians, to reduce the social pressures on people to drink in risky ways in social and private settings. CAAN's work is consistent with the state strategy for alcohol and other drugs which aims for cultural change regarding the use of alcohol.

CAAN's current focus is to support parents to control their children's access to alcohol, to limit underage drinking and to adopt low risk drinking customs within their family and domestic contexts. CAAN also supports action by community members who identify problems in their local community which deserve a response. Over the past year CAAN has helped community members make objections to applications for liquor licences and conducted forums for parents on the Secondary supply law.

CAAN publishes the GrogWatch blog as a regular on-line forum for the exchange of information and opinion on alcohol matters of topical interest. GrogWatch also provides access to new research, articles, products and resources that workers might use in their alcohol prevention and intervention work. We are pleased that Grogwatch attracts so many comments and contributions from its readers.

Advisory Group

CAAN is fortunate to be supported by an Advisory Group composed of members of the community and key stakeholders.

Cath Behan, Catholic Education Office

Bruce Clark, Community representative

Monica Giles, Community representative

Gail Hardie, Parents Victoria

David Healy, Community representative

Con Stavros, RMIT University

Geoff Munro, ADF

Julie Rae, ADF

Peter Nguyen, Department of Health

David Taylor, VAADA

Mark Zirnsak, Uniting Church

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