The Young Australians’ Alcohol Reporting System (YAARS) aims to provide timely information on patterns of youth alcohol use and related problems. It is envisaged that this information will be used to inform policy, prevention and treatment initiatives and to provide indications of trends of consumption and harm over time.
Australia’s population is ageing and is doing so at a faster rate than ever before. Older people with substance misuse problems are not a homogenous group and will require a range of services. There are major implications for alcohol and other drug prevention, early intervention and treatment programs in the future.
Australian researchers have worked with local high school students to create a unique interactive drug education game for Australian teenagers. Called Pure Rush, the game is targeted at students in Years 8 to 10 and aims to inform adolescents about the potential harms of cannabis, methamphetamine, hallucinogens and pills such as ecstasy.