Drug Action Week Launched In Canberra

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PDF printable version of Drug Action Week Launched In Canberra (PDF 21 KB)

15 June 2010

Drug Action Week 2010 was launched today by the Parliamentary Secretary, Mark Butler, at Campbell High School in the ACT.

Drug Action Week 2010 is an initiative of the Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia, with funding support from the Australian Government. It provides individuals, organisations, and communities with the opportunity to promote awareness of the harms of alcohol and other drugs.

The initiative is a week of activities held nationally to raise the awareness about alcohol and other drugs issues in Australia.

“The week also highlights the achievements of the dedicated individuals who work within areas that aim to reduce alcohol and drug-related harm,” Mr Butler said.

“The harms from the misuse of drugs and alcohol affect entire communities, and we need to continue our efforts to reduce the demand for, supply of and harms from drugs.”

“The whole of the Australian community is getting behind this effort. Drug Action Week goes from strength to strength, with the number of Drug Action Week events quadrupling in three years from 150 in 2007 to over 650 registrations for the 2010 campaign,” Mr Butler said.

The Australian Government remains committed to being tough on drugs and is providing some $359 million over four years in the health portfolio alone for prevention and harm reduction efforts against illicit drugs. The Government is also committed to changing the culture of binge drinking in Australia, and in the 2010-11 budget announced an additional $50 million for the National Binge Drinking Strategy including:

• $25 million for a community sponsorship fund to provide community sporting and cultural organisations with an alternative to alcohol sponsorships;
• $20 million to support community level initiatives to reduce binge drinking; and
• $5 million to enhance telephone counselling and referrals for people with alcohol-related problems.