| An amazing response was received at the Rotary Action for Addition Prevention booth during the International Rotary Convention from 27-31 May. Highlights included: - RAG AP Oceania was officially launched, with the Rotary Club of McLaren Vale, SA being the inaugural member club
- 120+ new members signed up for RAG AP internationally.
- A new high-profile book was launched – ‘Street Drugs – The New Addiction Industry, by author Elaine Walters OAM. This book is now available to clubs, schools, community groups, individuals, and families.
- A side event was held at the Novotel South Wharf attended by 70 community representatives and political leaders.
- A meeting was held with the incoming International President of Rotary
- New members are welcome, both as individuals and clubs. Contact: [email protected]
For more: go to: Homepage | Rag AP (rag-ap.org)
And for the Rotary Community Expo in Adelaide on 3 June
go to: www.facebook.com/RotaryDontMethProject/ |
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documented publication: - To help educate people about the proliferation of street drugs in Australia.
- To understand why an alarming number of families have been unnecessarily subjected to addiction, family violence, increased road trauma, youth crime and preventable loss of life.
- To be part of the solution. This publication provides a blueprint for change and the capacity for all of us to help reduce drug demand.
How can you help? - Donate copies to your local library/s, schools, and health agencies
- Purchase copies for a friend or your family.
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To arrange copies just email [email protected] or fill out the form below and post to: Drug Free Australia, PO box 379, Seaford, SA 5169 |
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New Zealand has embarked on an ambitious plan of lifetime bans on cigarette smoking for anyone born after 2008, seeking to reduce tobacco use to 5% of its population, with the ultimate aim of completely eliminating it. The plan aims for 3 specific outcomes – to eliminate inequities in smoking rates and smoking-related illnesses, to create a smokefree generation by increasing the number of children and young people who remain smokefree and to increase the number of people who successfully quit smoking. They believe that thousands of lives and billions of dollars will be saved by the measures. Associate Minister of Health Ayesha Verrall asserts that "there is no good reason to allow a product to be sold that kills half the people that use it" explaining that "smoking is still the leading cause of preventable death in New Zealand and causes one in four cancers." Drug Free Australia is urging Australian Parliamentarians to follow New Zealand’s example. |
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This then raises the question: why do both New Zealand and Australia have lax attitudes to current increases in cannabis use? Evidence in massive population studies published in medical journals in 2021 and 2022 has confirmed that cannabis literally shatters human chromosomes, causing mutations which cause cancers and birth defects.
Cannabis is causal in 33 cancers as against only 14 for tobacco. A study of 27 European countries indicated that cannabis was significantly causal in 89 of 95 birth defects such as autism, cleft palate and hole in the heart. Most troubling is that these mutations are genetically and epigenetically passed down by cannabis users to their children and grandchildren, surpassing the range of harms presented by tobacco use. Drug Free Australia reminds Parliamentarians that medical cannabis carries all of the harms of recreational cannabis use, containing all the same damaging cannabinoids. Cannabidiol (CBD) which is currently advertised as benign and virtually a miracle drug, causes more cancers, 12 in all, than any other single cannabinoid. Neither is it effective for most - 62% of Australians have cannabis prescribed for chronic pain but a review of 104 studies and 10,000 medical cannabis patients demonstrates that cannabis is not adequate for chronic pain.
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Last month Drug Free Australia called on political leaders to ensure that the legislated ban on vaping is combined with a sustained and effective EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN to help young people and families understand the REAL dangers. However, we are yet to hear, WHEN the new laws are to come into effect. |
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Some Good News… A START FOR EDUCATION HAS NOW BEEN MADE IN VICTORIA |
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Museums Victoria has partnered with VicHealth and Quit Victoria to help families understand the harms of vaping. They have unveiled a sculpture at Scienceworks to shed light on the hidden dangers of vaping. The eye-opening sculpture takes the form of a 'vape cloud' and visually represents ten recognisable toxic chemicals found in vapes, with the aim of educating children and families about the health risks of vapes. What’s hiding in a vape? - Scienceworks (museumsvictoria.com.au) Congratulations to Dr Sandro Demaio, CEO of Vic Health, who has been active in campaigning against vaping for some time.
Vaping: The tricks and loopholes e-cigarette and tobacco industries use to target young people - ABC News Drug Free Australia urges that – ‘This Is something that all State Health Departments could easily replicate in their museums. It would facilitate enabling school excursions and interactive discussion about student safety.
However the ultimate would be a National Health Literacy Campaign against vaping – and FOR healthy options. Come on Aussies – look after your kids!’ |
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In the May E-bulletin we featured some tips on how to talk to your kids about drugs. In this bulletin our Youth Adviser, Tya has suggested the following for keeping your kids safe from drugs:
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- Encouraging kids to take part in hobbies, sports and clubs that give them positive interaction and self-esteem. These opportunities and experiences can also build their skills in dealing with issues such as managing team relationships, being resilient if the game doesn’t go well; learning that losing a game isn’t ‘the end of the world’, but just a pathway to improving skills and ‘bouncing back’. Learning that if you have done your best, you should be proud, regardless of the end score.
- Knowing who your kids friends are and getting to know their parents/families
- Knowing where they spend their time when they are with their peers
- Chatting to them about any worries they might have. This is also a good time to have conversations about drug taking/vaping.
- Giving them ‘narratives’ to respond to their peers if they are challenged to ‘try’ drugs. Importantly, help them to come up with their own responses as well. As Tya says: “teaching them to turn down drugs, if they are offered, as peer pressure is a strong influencer to just ‘trying’ them”
(Tya is currently studying for a Neuroscience Degree at University).
As we said in our MAY e-bulletin – “The earlier parents talk with their children about the consequences of using drugs, the less likely children are to experiment with them. Discussing drugs in an empathetic, supportive, and nonjudgmental way is vital. Parents also need to be aware of role modelling, as their behaviour can influence that of their children – i.e overuse of alcohol; misuse of prescription drugs can have a negative influence.”
For our May bulletin go to: Drug Free Australia Newsletter (sender.net) |
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What to Do if Your Child is Involved with Drugs? |
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In some situations, you may suspect your child is using drugs due to behaviour changes such as skipping school, associating with a new peer group, stealing, or if their grades start to decline. If you confirm that your child is using drugs, try to stay calm and learn what led them to drug use. Obtain health advice, consider grounding – but use the time constructively to talk to the child about health and lifestyle consequences. Reading true accounts may be helpful. Here are some:
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DRUG PREVENTION EDUCATION
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OPTIONS FOR SCHOOLS IN 2023 |
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Free - Online, age-appropriate drug prevention for schools for Years 5-12
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NotEvenOnce is now back within schools around Australia and the level of engagement has increased dramatically with the harms our young people are facing. Covid had impact, many are turning to substances as coping strategies.
However, vaping must be the most insidious one. Targeting young people heavily via social media. Competitions on the best tricks with the vape clouds, taking selfies behind your teachers back in class and on and on. We are loving having conversations in this space, challenging myths around vaping and the feedback has been amazing. We’ve now spoken to 80242 young people in Australia. It’s vital work, bringing the reality of health harms to young people in a non-judgemental, engaging, and challenging way. What are their choices going to be? What type of influencer are they going to be in this space amongst their peers? |
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Kerryn will work with class groups and assemblies, sharing her encounter with drugs. Email: [email protected] |
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- Introduction – explain that this session seeks your ideas, solutions and taking part in an experiment
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- Discussion: “What is a drug?” Can you name some? Did you know that Caffeine and Alcohol are drugs?
- Introduce Experiment: (Bread & sugar cube in water & alcohol: methylated spirits)
- Display Medical models: body organs (liver, kidney, heart) healthy & damaged
- More discussion: Alcohol in the brain, long term: MRI or CAT scan images; Alcohol immediate effects
- Student participation Goggles, 4 participants; Check Experiment
- Vaping movie (2 minutes 14 secs) ; discuss Vaping & Cigarette facts
- Optional – Methamphetamines - Ice (very brief)
- Discussion – Why do people use drugs? Better ways, strength-based message, conclusion.
Total time, approximately one hour.
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Definition “What is a drug?” (A drug is a chemical that is not a food that changes the way a person’s body works.)
- (What drugs can you name?)
- Types of drugs: Depressants, Stimulants, Hallucinogens (Nicotine is a Stimulant)
- Drug death #s latest figures (Which kill the most people? The legal ones:Tobacco/nicotine)
- Age of EVALI & other vaping damage much younger than tobacco damage.
- Comparative discussion: tobacco & vaping
- Movie “Vaping: The Hit Your Brain Takes” (2 min)
- Cigarette facts: Quit poster cf with Vaping additives
- Cigarette & vaping packaging: information provided
- Brain chemistry: human brain not mature until 25-30 years, implications of use of damaging substances prior.
- Better ways, strength-based message, conclusion.
Total time, approximately one hour with allowance for discussion
Contact Dawn Stark: email: [email protected]
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Books available on the website:
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Or go to our Go Fund Me page: |
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