Drug and Alcohol Monthly Media Briefing
Drug and Alcohol Media Briefing - March 2011
Media Releases
National
Alcohol
Work to begin on new Tennant Creek Sobering Up Shelter (Gov) 1 March
Global study: Australian women suffering consequences of drinking alcohol (Burnet Institute) 17 March
Licensed premises must take more responsibility for alcohol-fuelled violence (AMA) 21 March
Drinks industry should stop using young people (PHAA/ADCA) 23 March
AER Foundation calls for action to stop irresponsible discounting of alcohol (AERF) 23 March
Forum seeks young Aussies’ input on youth drinking culture issues (Drinkwise) 24 March
Drugs
Doctors targeted for over-prescribing narcotics (Gov) 6 March
Health
ABS launches most comprehensive health survey ever conducted (ABS) 3 March
Indigenous Issues
‘People Power’ crucial to closing the Indigenous Life Expectancy Gap (Close the Gap) 10 March
Abbott’s intervention plan continues past mistakes: Greens (Greens) 21 March
Indigenous mental health services needed (RANZCP) 23 March
Growing number of Australians support National Close the Gap Day this year (AHRC) 23 March
Break the chain: Indigenous anti tobacco campaign kicks off (Gov) 28 March
Smoking/Tobacco
Taxpayers lose $1 billion while criminals make millions (BATA) 1 March
United Kingdom to pursue plain packaging of cigarettes (Quit) 10 March
Secret tobacco documents show decades of industry interference to block health policies (ASH) 11 March
Future Fund tobacco investment unethical: Greens (Greens) 12 March
Future Fund tobacco investment should be reviewed: Greens (Greens) 24 March
Tobacco industry persuades people to support plain packaging of cigarettes (Quit) 27 March
Sport
New research: footballers at risk from alcohol harm (ADF) 15 March
Youth
School Fundraising and alcohol (ANCD) 2 March
Other
Dedicated Theme Days For Drug Action Week 2011 (ADCA) 18 March
Opal Fuel Campaign to Focus on Boat Owners in Kakadu (Gov) 18 March
Clinical trial numbers fall for third straight year (Medicines Australia) 31 March
Australian Capital Territory
Liquor offences decrease over summer (Gov) 11 March
New South Wales
Skinner must rule out roll-back of anti-tobacco laws (Gov) 2 March
Three drug Courts: Western Sydney, Hunter and now in Sydney's East (Gov) 7 March
Northern Territory
NT Alcohol Reforms To Be Raised In New Zealand (Gov) 2 March
Statement – Chief Minister Paul Henderson – Alcohol Restrictions (Gov) 21 March
Government to tackle Alice Springs challenges at Parliament Sittings (Gov) 28 March
Historic Alcohol Reforms Introduced to Parliament (Gov) 30 March
Queensland
National Close the Gap Day (QLD Gov) 24 March
Have your say on Drink Safe Precincts (Gov) 25 March
Health research to benefit Queenslanders (Gov) 30 March
South Australia
Helping smokers to quit and stay quit (Gov) 2 March
Pseudoephedrine Monitoring (Gov) 10 March
Government acts against antisocial behaviour (Gov) 22 March
Tasmania
New Resource for Smokers Wanting to Quit (Gov) 5 March
Getting Even Tougher On Tobacco (Gov) 18 March
Victoria
Tough new laws to tackle drunken louts (Gov) 1 March
Health professionals given new laws to intervene and help those with severe drug dependence (Gov) 2 March
Labor’s shameful record on drugs and alcohol (Liberal) 2 March
Minister launches pilot to manage aggressive patrons (Liberal) 2 March
Coalition Government extends freeze on late-night liquor licences (Gov) 18 March
Most Victorians support new law to reduce underage drinking (VicHealth) 21 March
Drug Foundation applauds Vic Govt for new law to protect kids from alcohol supply (ADF) 21 March
Coalition reduces the risk of alcohol-related harm to our children (Gov) 30 March
Western Australia
Government must boost laws to protect children (Labor) 21 March
Barnett must realise alcohol bans are just the beginning (Labor) 21 March
$1.5million grant for treatment of alcohol and other drug dependency (Liberal) 22 March
News Articles
AIDS/HIV
Asia 'falling short' in HIV treatment 30 March
Alcohol
Warning on alcohol in school fundraising 1 March
Alcohol ban at school fund-raisers urged 2 March
Baillieu needs to do more on alcohol abuse 4 March
Call to curb alcohol advertising 4 March
Higher-status folk drink more often 8 March
Doctor slams drinks price 8 March
Cut-price alcohol claims rejected 8 March
Police put the hard word on both parties over pub lockouts 9 March
Alcohol risk watered down 10 March
Leaders avoid louts and liquor trading 10 March
Aldi liquor launch looms in NSW 11 March
Boozing affects study for uni students 15 March
Involved dads reduce problem drinking in daughters 15 March
Surprise result in binge drinking study 16 March
Women third on drink-impact list 17 March
Chance to end Alice Springs's era of 'animal bars' wasted 18 March
MP on attack over grog 'misery' 18 March
Alcohol abuse starts in communities: MacQueen 21 March
Police chief blames booze for violence 21 March
Blitz to dry up booze for kids 21 March
NT 'missed chance' for tougher grog policy 22 March
Foster's takes on Coles and Woolworths over cheap beer 23 March
Drunken violence warning after two men jailed 23 March
WA alcohol laws 'not effectively' enforced or monitored 23 March
Huge liquor barns fly under the radar in the alcohol debate 24 March
Navy's bid to scuttle sailor drunks 24 March
Navy chief sceptical of drug eradication 24 March
Leading health body calls for minimum price on alcohol in wake of beer price war 24 March
Australia will be the loser in the beer wars 24 March
Binge drinking program reduces emergency department presentations 25 March
It's not just binge drinking that's a problem 28 March
Support for proposed alcohol law 29 March
Calls for alcohol labelling to help stamp out drinking during pregnancy 29 March
NT Govt to introduce 'toughest' grog laws in country 29 March
Trauma program plans to expand 31 March
Drugs
Law to benefit addicts 2 March
Barrister says 'pathetic' cannabis addict more likely to get help in jail 2 March
Drug services forced to play system 3 March
Colac drug addicts bound for Geelong 6 March
Doctors probed over narcotic prescriptions 6 March
Drug treatment to cut reoffending rates 7 March
Thieves take 120kg of prescription drugs 7 March
Cocaine, ice and ecstasy ring busted by police strike force 8 March
Budget cuts to limit new medicines, doctors warn 9 March
SA to introduce real-time reporting on pseudoephedrine sales 14 March
Cannabis in food gets stamp of approval from watchdog 16 March
Let people take drugs, says NSW sex party 17 March
Penalties over children at drug labs set to increase 22 March
Liberals urge soft line on drugs 24 March
Global executions decline: Amnesty 27 March
Defence raids Army barracks and homes in drug investigation; soldier arrested – report 28 March
Pill cocktails like playing 'Russian roulette' 29 March
Massive heroin haul in Sydney 30 March
Indigenous Issues
Indigenous policy change 'has not worked well' 14 March
Abbott calls for new NT intervention 21 March
Calls for alcohol treatment centres in every Kimberley town 21 March
Rebuilding trust with indigenous communities the first step 22 March
NT chief rejects new call by Abbott 22 March
Anti-smoking campaign working: Calma 23 March
Indigenous smoking rates on agenda: govt 24 March
Elders want Koori court to stay 28 March 2011
Teens roam Territory streets looking for sex, alcohol and trouble as quick-fix policies fail 28 March
Indigenous Australians urged to quit smoking in new multi-million dollar ad campaign 28 March
Alice Springs elders ask Gillard and Abbott to find apolitical solution to town's problems 29 March
Probe call on roaming Alice youth 30 March
Smoking/Tobacco
Illegal tobacco sales up 25 per cent, study finds 1 March
Tougher anti-smoking measures for SA 2 March
Push for anti-smoking laws 2 March
Half teen mums smoke before birth: report 4 March
Threat of more tobacco excise lights up an otherwise dull day 11 March
Cigarette packaging matters for children 16 March
Online tobacco ads to be history 23 March
New funding for addict implant program 23 March
Sport
Brendan Fevola commits to medication 9 March
Nowhere to run or hide from sport's risky booze culture 26 March
Youth
DVD binge-drink warning for teens 4 March
Bully boy bad habits linked to binge drinking 11 March
Kids use alcohol to escape 15 March
Other National articles
Heart disease continues to dominate death, health cost figures 17 March
International news
AIDS/HIV
Drug addicts turn to HIV drugs for lethal mix 17 March
UNAIDS, UNDP, WHO release policy brief advising countries on using TRIPS flexibilities to drive down HIV treatment costs 17 March
Alcohol
Binge drinking fear over new pub gift tokens 6 March
Early action against alcohol addiction 7 March
State declares war on alcohol abuse 11 March
Drinking Behavior May Be Tied to Early Alcohol Use 16 March
Can the government's 'responsibility deal' work? 20 March
Lord Advocate warns of Scotland alcohol 'apocalypse' 23 March
Male foetuses more vulnerable to alcohol 24 March
Drugs
UN drugs board decries poor access to pain relief 2 March
India among top drugs hotspots: UN report 2 March
New insights into factors affecting adolescent marijuana use 14 March
Study casts doubts over Tory strategy on illicit drug use 16 March
U.N. drug czar seeks help to stem narcotics flow 21 March
U.S. promises better teamwork on Afghan drug raids 24 March
Russia Envoy: NATO Not Helping Enough to Intercept Afghan Drugs 27 March
Drug addicts turn to crime because of long waiting lists 28 March
Drug sentencing public consultation launched 28 March
Poverty
Poverty fuelling drug and alcohol abuse 16 March
Poverty, drugs blamed for China executions 30 March
Youth
Children kicking bad habits - study 22 March
Child alcohol abuse up nearly 20pc 28 March
Teens Who Smoke Early Often Try Pot Later, Study Finds 28 March
Alcohol and tobacco still part of growing up 29 March
Smoking/Tobacco
How Should Society Deal With the Drug Nicotine? 2 March
Heavy Smoking Declines In US 15 March
China bans smoking in public 28 March
Recently Released Reports
Managing Drug and Alcohol Prevention and Treatment Services (VAGO)
Allies for Recovery (University of Tas & Salvation Army)
Cardiovascular disease: Australian facts 2011 (AIHW)
Monograph No. 21: An assessment of illicit drug policy in Australia (1985-2010): Themes and trends. DPMP Monograph Series. (National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre - Ritter, A., Lancaster, K., Grech, K., and Reuter, P. (2011).)
