Around 170,000 treatment episodes for alcohol and other drug use were provided in Australia in 2009-10. Almost half were for treatment related to alcohol use-the highest proportion observed since the collection began in 2001. As with previous years, counselling was the most common type of treatment offered. One in ten episodes involved more than one type of treatment.
here is strong support for the use of health warning labels on alcoholic beverages as a potential tool to raise awareness and prompt conversations about risks, and to encourage reductions in alcohol consumption. 58% of people surveyed indicated they support the use of health warning labels on alcoholic beverages. When asked about who should develop and regulate health warning labels, there was clear support for both to be government led and not industry led. 52% of people surveyed thought the government must be involved in the development of health warning labels. 24% believed the alcohol industry should do this, and the remaining 24% thought another body should be involved or were unsure. Even more people supported government regulation of health warning labels, with 72% of people in favour of this. Only 12% believed the alcohol industry should regulate health warning labels.
Child Protection and Mothers in Substance Abuse Treatment [webpage]
NDARC Technical Report No. 320. November 2011.
This report presents the major findings from the Child Protection and Mothers in Substance Abuse Treatment study, a three-year study funded by NSW Community Services, Department of Family and Community Services, and the University of New South Wales.
Parental substance use has received particular attention as a child protection concern in recent years, but it is an area in which there has been little research and in which a number of research questions remain unanswered. Evidence has shown that parental substance misuse is associated with high rates of child maltreatment, but substance use by a parent does not necessarily mean that they are abusing or neglecting their children. Research from overseas has also found that families in which alcohol or other drug use is present are more likely to come to the attention of child protection services, more likely to be re-reported, more likely to have children removed from their care, and more likely to have them remain in out-of-home care (OOHC) for long periods of time, than are families with the same characteristics but no substance use. A small number of overseas studies have also found that, among substance-using mothers, factors other than the severity of substance use are associated with child protection involvement. The applicability of these overseas studies to the child protection system in Australia is, however, unknown.
This study provides an enhanced understanding of parenting issues and child protection involvement among women with a history of illicit drug use in Australia.
The new study by the Injury Council of Western Australia, released by NDLERF, examined why staff at licensed premises continue to serve patrons to intoxication despite current laws and interventions.
The Drink or Drunk project specifically aimed to gain an understanding of what motivates staff at licensed premises to continue to serve patrons to intoxication and what deters them from providing intoxicated patrons with further service.
Drugs in Australia 2010 provides a comprehensive summary of Australians' consumption of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and use of treatment services, drawing on the latest statistics from major national collections. It also includes information about drug-related health issues, and drugs in the context of crime and law enforcement.
The latest DUMA data shows that the continuing decline in methamphetamine use since 2004 has ended, with rates of use among police detainees increasing in both 2010 and 2011. Twenty one percent of police detainees in 2011 tested positive to methamphetamine—up from 16 percent in 2010 and 13 percent in 2009.
Key findings
- Recent data from the Australian Institute of Criminology’s Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program shows an increase in the use of methamphetamine among police detainees.
- Voluntary urinalysis undertaken by detainees shows that in the first three-quarters of 2011, 21 percent of police detainees tested positive to methamphetamine—up from 16 percent in 2010 and 13 percent in 2009.
- Trend analysis suggests that the continuing decline in methamphetamine use since 2004 may have ended, with rates of use among police detainees increasing in both 2010 and 2011.
- Self-report data also indicates that methamphetamine is considered by users to be higher in quality and easier to obtain in 2011 compared with earlier years.
- Methamphetamine users also report an increase in the number of people selling the drug.
Trends in Drug Use and Related Harms in Australia, 2001 to 2011 [webpage]
Drug Policy Modelling Program, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre November 2011
The purpose of this resource document is to collate various data sources that document trends in alcohol and other drug use and harms in Australia.
In 2009 AIVL received funding to commission market research with a view to determining the feasibility of developing a national campaign to redress the stigma and discrimination routinely faced by people
who inject drugs. The primary objectives were to learn more about the perceptions of the general community—and some subsections of it, such as the medical profession—towards our community. This new information could then be used in determining how the community might respond to messages aimed at countering the misconceptions and prejudices associated with people who inject drugs. The market research report, published in 2010, was the catalyst for production of this document.
Workplace Drug Testing: Evidence and Issues [webpage]
National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA), Flinders University, November 2011
Drug testing may hold potential to improve workplace safety by eliminating or minimising risks associated with alcohol or other drug use. However, to date the extent of its effectiveness remains indeterminate. Moreover, for employees to endorse drug testing there needs to be evidence of real safety benefits. In order to achieve this, the efficacy of workplace testing needs to be examined and the features of ‘good practice’ workplace testing practices need to be identified.
[Last updated - 17 May 2012]
