| Drug Free Australia and the Rotary Action Group for Addiction Prevention (RAG AP) welcomes the prioritisation of Mental Health and Wellbeing from the new Rotary International President. A delegation from the RAG AP international board had a meeting with Gordon at the International Convention in Melbourne. During the meeting it was beneficial to include that RAG AP’s field of action aligns with Mental Health and wellbeing and that we work at community level. |
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Drug Free Australia’s Save Your Brain website contains helpful information about resilicence and the need to take care of the teen brain – |
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Rotary can help you to obtain copies of the book – why? |
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- To help educate people about the proliferation of street drugs
globally.|
- 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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What’s the latest on Portugal’s Drug Decriminalisation Policy? |
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Two compelling articles about Portugal’s current drug decriminalisation status, call the policy into serious question….
1. Once hailed for decriminalizing drugs, Portugal is now having doubts - Anthony Faiola & Catarina Fernandes Martins - Portugal's drug decriminalization faces opposition as addiction multiplies - The Washington Post 2. Wake up! The drugs lobby have finally been proved wrong - by Peter Hitchens Hitchens opens with: ‘It may just be in time, but I sense the 50-year campaign to legalise drugs is at last running into the trouble it has deserved from the start. The supposed Portuguese drugs miracle — in which giving up enforcing the law was supposedly followed by peace, love and joy — has ended, as it was bound to do, in squalor, crime and fear. And the endlessly praised Amsterdam dope experiment, in letting rip despite the law, has been rejected with disgust and regret by many of the people who live there. Even the wildly liberal Washington Post has finally seen through all the bilge about Portugal. Thanks to them, I doubt I will again be asked by a drug legaliser or a BBC presenter (often the same thing) “What about Portugal?” Or at least, not if they have any sense. For, on July 7, the Post explored modern-day Porto, Portugal’s second city.
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The World Federation Against Drugs (WFAD), has recently published its latest insightful Member Magazine.
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The Magazine constitutes of articles written by our members from around the world. It is divided into 4 sections: - Position papers on emerging drugs
- Position papers on prevention, awareness raising, treatment, and
recovery - Best-practices by members
- Publications by WFAD
The Magazine provides an overview of regional developments and local project implementation programmes. Our members’ essays are eye-opening and best practices inspiring and motivating. We strongly encourage you to read through the magazine. Various articles include the contact details of organisations while hyperlinks to documents and websites are given. We encourage you to contact organisations you would be interested in collaborating with.
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Release of 2nd Edition of the WFAD Member Magazine -
World Federation Against Drugs |
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What to do if your child is drinking or using drugs? |
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In the last two E-bulletins we featured some tips on how to talk to your kids about drugs and how to keep your kids safe from drugs.
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Here are some key tips:
- Early intervention: Confronting your child about their drug use will probably be uncomfortable for both of you, and you may even think it’s unnecessary. But you can never be too safe, or intervene too early.
- Prepare beforehand: Make observations and note changes in their behaviour, appearance, personal habits, health and school work
- Look for drugs and paraphernalia
- Prepare for the conversation – talk to your partner and ensure their support; recognise any addiction in your family history; set the desired outcome (this will keep you on track and calm.
- The publication gives you ideas on how to approach the conversation and how to avoid conflict or becoming defensive. Focus on the behaviour, not the person – it’s their health and wellbeing that is at stake.
Remember: “The earlier parents talk with their children about the consequences of using drugs, the less likely children are to experiment with them. 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.”
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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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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
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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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A CHANCE TO SUPPORT A SPECIAL DRUG PREVENTION FUNDRAISER ORGANISED BY THE DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA |
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