November 2022

Rates, characteristics and toxicology of cocaine-related deaths in Australia, 2000–2021

A new study published by researchers at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), UNSW Sydney found a large increase in cocaine-related deaths in Australia since 2012.

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November 2022

Interjurisdictional differences in Australian imprisonment rates: Sentencing or arrest rates?

After 20 years of falling crime rates, Australia now finds itself in the invidious position of having incarcerated a larger share of its adult population than at any point since the late 19th century, and there are stark and enduring differences between the Australian States and Territories in their rates of imprisonment.

November 2022

First Nations Australians’ experiences of current alcohol policy in Central Australia: evidence of self-determination?

There is significant variation in alcohol consumption patterns and harms in Australia, with those residing in the Northern Territory, particularly First Nations Australians, experiencing higher alcohol-attributable harms than other Australians.

November 2022

The relationship between age at first drink and later risk behaviours during a period of youth drinking decline

Alcohol consumption among teenagers in many high-income countries has steadily declined since the early 2000s and there has also been a steady increase in the average age at first drink, a reliable marker of later alcohol problems.

September 2022

Review of cannabis use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

The health effects of cannabis use may not always be seen as a high priority for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities yet the impact of cannabis use on physical and mental health can h

September 2022

Pharmacological treatment for methamphetamine withdrawal: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised control trials

Cessation of methamphetamine use may result in a characteristic withdrawal syndrome, no medication has been approved for this indication. This systematic review aims to assess the efficacy of pharmacotherapy for methamphetamine withdrawal, the first comprehensive meta-analysis since 2008.

September 2022

Fines for illicit drug use do not prevent future crime: evidence from randomly assigned judges

Comprehensive administrative records on crime from Australia are used to study the effect of a monetary penalty issued for sing or possessing a prohibited drug on future crime and drug use.

July 2022

Prevalence of mental disorders among people with opioid use disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Opioid use disorder (OUD) and mental disorders are major public health issues and comorbidity is common. Among people with OUD, comorbid mental disorders are associated with poorer health outcomes. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate prevalence of specific mental disorders among people with OUD.

July 2022

Trajectories of parental and peer supply of alcohol in adolescence and associations with later alcohol consumption and harms: A prospective cohort study

Supply of alcohol to adolescents is associated with increased alcohol consumption and harms including alcohol use disorder (AUD). We aimed to identify: (1) trajectories of alcohol supply to adolescents; (2) sociodemographic characteristics associated with supply trajectory; (3) patterns of alcohol consumption by supply trajectory; and (4) supply trajectory associations with adverse alcohol outcomes.

July 2022

Do different actors submit different evidence to alcohol advertising policy consultations?

This study examined the extent to which industry and non-industry actors drew from the same (vs. different) bodies of peer-reviewed evidence in 71 submissions to alcohol advertising policy consultations.

May 2022

Characteristics of fatal ‘novel’ synthetic opioid toxicity in Australia

This paper reviews all fatal poisonings related to novel synthentic opiods (NSOs) in Australia 2000–2021 identified in the National Coronial Information System.

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