Alcohol and Drugs

If you are concerned about your own use of drugs or alcohol, or that of someone you care about, you are not alone. Almost every family will be affected by some form of substance abuse at some time or another. Help is available, both for people directly involved in alcohol and drug use but also for their partners, parents and other loved ones.

Smoking

Tobacco smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable premature death and disease in Australia. While smoking prevalence in Australia has declined over time, over three million Australians, or about one fifth of the population, still smoke on a regular basis. Smoking rates are higher amongst some groups including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people with mental health issues¹.

An extensive range of resources on the negative health effects of smoking are available online. The National Tobacco Campaign has a range of publications, including:

• Smoking and your Body  
• Women and Smoking Factsheet (information on smoking during pregnancy and while breastfeeding) 

Giving up can be hard but is clearly worth it. If you want to quit, the Quitline 131 848 can help. For the cost of a local call from anywhere in Australia, Quitline provides advice and assistance to smokers who want to kick the habit.

Alcohol

Each year in Australia approximately 3,100 people die as a result of excessive alcohol consumption and around 72,000 people are hospitalised². Alcohol misuse includes binge drinking, daily excess or risk taking while intoxicated. 

Problems with alcohol can significantly impact on general health and wellbeing. Those affected will often not realise or admit they have a problem. Families are often the first to identify drinking problems and are important in helping people seek treatment.

Due to the different ways that alcohol can affect people, there is no amount of alcohol that can be said to be safe for everyone. The Australian Alcohol Guidelines suggest daily and weekly limits on alcohol consumption. The guidelines also recommend strategies for minimising risks associated with alcohol consumption:

• alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and drink water
• choose low alcohol drinks 
• eat while drinking alcohol 
• stay with friends rather than driving 
• Do not accept lifts with a drunk driver

Psychoactive Drugs

Psychoactive drugs are of most concern in the community because they act on the brain and can change the way a person thinks, feels or behaves. Legal drugs such as caffeine, nicotine (cigarettes), khat, alcohol and various medicines are among the drugs most commonly used. Other drugs used in Australia include illegal drugs such as cannabis (marijuana), heroin, ecstasy and amphetamines (speed).

The Australian Drug Foundation's 'Drugs and their effects' brochure provides information about different types of drugs and their effects. This brochure is available in nine community languages.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Pregnant women, and women thinking about becoming pregnant, are advised to avoid alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. If a woman is using drugs, including prescription medications, she should discuss it with her doctor or other health professional when she is considering pregnancy, or as soon as she realises she is pregnant.

Although some drugs do pass into breast milk, breastfeeding may still be the right choice for feeding a baby. Women who use drugs and are breastfeeding their baby should consult their doctor or other health professional.

Drugs and parenting

Children look up to their parents, grandparents and older siblings, and they learn many of their attitudes and behaviours about drugs within the family. If family members use drugs or alcohol to relax or to make a problem go away, children may use these methods as well when they need to relax or solve a problem.

Extensive research conducted with Australian parents and their children indicates that young people appreciate advice from parents in relation to alcohol and drugs but they will expect you to be informed, up front and honest. And, if you show you are listening to them, they are more likely to listen to you.

The National Drugs Campaign has online information for parents, including 10 tips for encouraging young people to talk about drugs.

Excessive drug use can impair your capacity to take care of children. Help is available if you are experiencing problems. Many parents successfully recover from drug or alcohol problems with appropriate treatment and support. 

Useful links

For young people:

• Where is your head at is the national drugs campaign website for young people, containing the facts about drugs, opportunities for young people to talk to each other and information about support services. 
• Reachout a web-based support service for young people experiencing tough times, including young people experimenting with alcohol and drugs. 
• DrugInfo Clearinghouse has a range of factsheets on subjects like Drinking and Ecstasy: reducing the risks.

For everyone:

• Alcohol and drug services are available in each State and Territory, click here for contact details or call DirectLine on 1800 888 236 to speak confidentially to a telephone counsellor about any drug issue. 
• DrugInfo Clearinghouse has an extensive database of information and resources on drug and alcohol use including factsheets for parents. 
• If you are concerned about the safety and wellbeing of a child, the Australian Childhood Foundation has contact details for child protection services in each State and Territory 

¹ 40% of smokers have a mental illness according to recent study by Access Economics, Sane Australia 

² National Alcohol Strategy, 2006-2009 

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