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The National Drug Research Institute, as part of the National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre (NCPIC) consortium, has developed a new mini-website in conjunction with NCPIC. Could it be the gunja? aims to provide health workers in the Aboriginal Primary Health Care sector with meaningful information and culturally appropriate resources to help them better meet the needs of those who use cannabis.

The Could it be the gunja? project was funded by NCPIC and undertaken by NDRI’s Indigenous Australian Research Team in response to widespread concern that cannabis use and harms have increased in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities without any significant development and adoption of culturally safe interventions.  The project aims to place cannabis use on the clinical agenda in the Aboriginal Primary Health Care sector in a safe and secure way, and asks health workers to consider “Could it be the gunja?” when talking about health and wellbeing with clients and patients.

Working in close collaboration with six Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services across Australia, NDRI has developed the following information and resources:

• Health information resources: information posters and health information pamphlets
• A brief intervention model for Aboriginal primary health care settings, with resources to support its use, including a brief intervention flipchart, brief intervention manual and change booklets for clients.
• An agency level screening and brief intervention implementation package which assists Aboriginal primary health care services to address cannabis use and cannabis-related harms. It includes a comprehensive training package, resources and agency steps to ensure sustainable skill development.

For further information visit the Could it be the gunja? website