June 20 - Drug Action Week: Prevention - Prevent the uptake of alcohol and other drugs

Drug Action Week® - 18-22 June Prevent the Uptake of Alcohol and other Drugs Prevention initiatives in the alcohol and other drugs field have helped to avert drug-related accidents, disability and death, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia (ADCA), Ms Donna Bull, said today. “We have also seen a reduction in dependence on income support, and the rates of criminal behaviour and jail terms have been reduced.” With the theme of Prevention on day three of Drug Action Week®, Ms Bull said the term “prevention” within the context of Australia’s National Drug Strategy referred to preventing both the uptake of alcohol and other drugs as well as preventing harmful use and drugrelated harms. “There is evidence that prevention activities have also resulted in savings in the areas of mental health, crime prevention, and family policy,” Ms Bull said. “Drug misuse is not an isolated behaviour caused solely by decisions of an individual and consequently cannot be prevented or cured by educating or punishing that individual.” Research has found that drug misuse can be, like mental health disorders and criminal behaviour, influenced b  the economic, social and cultural environment that an individual lives in. “There are many individual, family and community factors that put people at greater risk of drug related harms, as well as those that can protect them from such harms,” Ms Bull said. “Prevention categories are commonly categorised into primary, secondary and tertiary approaches, and refer to the stage of the development of the disorder.” Ms Bull said that community use of drugs, whether it is alcohol, caffeine, prescription medicines or illicit substances needs better understanding, education and awareness, and Drug Action Week® is about events that inform and involve communities, educators, individuals, the media and governments. ”Drug Action Week® the theme days this year focus on: Monday, 18 June – Drugs in Sport and Recreation Tuesday, 19 June – Treatment Wednesday, 20 June – Prevention Thursday, 21 June – Indigenous Peoples, and Friday, 22 June – Drug Use and Mental Health. “Drug Action Week® is for everyone working to reduce drug-related harm in Australia and provides us with opportunities to remind ourselves that drugs encompass more than just heroin and cannabis,” Ms Bull said. “This ADCA initiative aims to raise awareness about alcohol and other drug issues and promote the achievements of those who work to reduce drug related harm.” Tomorrow’s Drug Action Week® highlights include – the Great Drug Debates in Victor Harbour in South Australia; an information display at Morley in Western Australia; a Forum on Binge Drinking: Get Real at Wagga Wagga High School in New South Wales; a Youth Fun in the Sun gathering in Nambour in Queensland; a conference focussing on Young People and Alcohol in Bendigo in Victoria; a discussion on alcohol and depression for health professionals in Darwin; and a Drug Action Week treatment and education open day in Moreland in Victoria. ATTENTION NEWS EDITORS/ PRODUCERS Treatment Theme Day and State/ Territory Spokespersons A list of spokespersons who have agreed to take calls from media representatives during Drug Action Week®  particularly in relation to Prevention, follows on the third page. A Fact Sheet on Prevention, with contact details for more information on the subject, can be downloaded from the Resources page at www.drugactionweek.org.au. To see the complete National Calendar of Events, log onto www.drugactionweek.org.au/natcal.html. The Drug Action Week® television commercial can be viewed and downloaded by logging onto www.drugactionweek.org.au and going to Commercials – to listen to the supporting radio commercial, or to download it for use, log onto the following link http://pixelframe.net.au/DAW07Radio/DAW07.aif. Contact Australian Alcohol and Drug Council of Australia (ADCA) For more information on Drug Action Week® log onto www.drugactionweek.org.au, or to speak with an ADCA spokesperson, telephone David Templeman on 02 6281 0686 (switch) or 0400 860 058 (m), or send on email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . 20 June 2007 Contact details for Spokespersons Wednesday, 20 June 2007 Theme – Prevention Ms Rosemary McClean, ADF Phone: 03 9278 8117 (w), 0410 4057 972 (m) Tracey Bullen, State Manager Drug Education Network Phone: 03 6211 2354 (w) Professor Richard Midford, Curtin University Phone: 08 9266 1602 State/Territory Spokespersons New South Wales – James A Pitts, Odyssey House, Ph: 02 9820 9999, 0411 144 796 Victoria – Sam Biondo, Executive Officer VAADA, Ph: 03 9416 0899, 0414 974 121 Tasmania – David Clements, Executive Officer ATDC, Ph: 03 6224 7780, 0427 551 600 South Australia – Lesley Edwards, SANDAS, Ph: 08 8231 8818, 0423 294 495 Western Australia – Ms Jill Rundle, Director WANADA, Ph: 08 9420 7236, 0407 055 513 Northern Territory – Paul Finlay, DASA, Ph: 08 8952 8412, 0438 887 394 Queensland – Dennis Young, Drug Arm, Ph: 07 3620 8800 Australian Capital Territory – Phil Lawler, ADFACT, Ph: 02 6292 2733, 0413 153 005

 

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