National Inhalants Information Service Launched in Alice Springs

The National Inhalants Information Service (NIIS) was launched today (23 June 2008) in Alice Springs as part of the Drug Action Week 2008 (DAW) activities.

This unique central web-based service will provide immediate online information about inhalant abuse – petrol sniffing, chroming, and glue sniffing - to communities across Australia and will be particularly relevant for parents, teachers, young people, as well as alcohol and other drug (AOD) frontline workers. 

Mr Blair McFarland, coordinator of the Central Australia Youth Link-Up Service, and advocate of the roll-out of the OPAL alternative to unleaded petrol, launched the initiative.

“The Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia (ADCA) is to be congratulated on getting this information website up and running,” Mr McFarland said.

“With funding made available through the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy Cost-Shared Funding Model, ADCA’s National Resource Centre (NRC) in Canberra coordinated development of the website and populated it with very relevant information to inform Australian communities about inhalant abuse.

“The NIIS website is user friendly and has filled a vital missing information gap on inhalant abuse, and will help to increase knowledge and awareness of this issue as well as enhancing the ability of people to respond to inhalant abuse in Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.”

People wanting to know more about inhalant abuse can now log onto the NIIS website at www.inhalantsinfo.org.au to read/ download information about inhalants used in Australia, treatment guidelines, where to go for help, user stories, new resources, and projects. There are also links to other sites and major reports on inhalant use.

Manager of ADCA NRC, Ms Jane Shelling, said a database and virtual library of inhalants resources offered everything expected from a traditional library, including an “Ask a Librarian” reference service, and document delivery.

Media Enquiries – For more information contact Brian Flanagan, Manager Strategic Communications and Policy – Phone: 02 6281 0686 (w), 0400 860 058 (m); or Blair McFarland on 0448 526 493 (m); or Blair McFarland – Phone: 0448 526 493.