Dear *|FNAME|*,
Welcome to our first newsletter edition for 2026, and welcome back to another new school year for all our teachers and school staff members!
In this edition, you'll find details about our upcoming webinar on tobacco and vaping industry strategies that promote youth vaping in Australia, plus our latest factsheet looking at the importance of physical activity to young people's health and wellbeing.
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TOBACCO AND VAPING INDUSTRY TACTICS REVEALED IN NEW WEBINAR!
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Are we witnessing the same playbook of manipulation, misinformation and political lobbying used by the tobacco industry to attract a new generation of Australian young people to vaping?
Register now for our free webinar on Wednesday 29th April at 12pm Sydney time!
Presented by Dr Christina Watts, a Research Fellow at the University of Sydney's Daffodil Centre, in this 1-hour session you will learn about:
- Evidence of how the tobacco and vaping industries interfere with public health efforts
- The tactics used by these industries to undermine tobacco control, shape public narratives and delay regulation
- How the tobacco and vaping industries position themselves as partners in “harm reduction” while expanding their market among young people
- A recent case study on how these industries have responded to Australia’s vaping regulation reforms.
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HOW CAN SCHOOLS HELP YOUNG PEOPLE KEEP PHYSICALLY ACTIVE?
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Physical activity is crucial to young people’s health and wellbeing. Yet despite the benefits of regular exercise and sport participation, many young people aren't doing enough physical activity.
A 2021 study revealed that 78% of Australian students aged 11-14 years were not meeting the Australian physical activity guidelines' recommended 60 minutes of physical activity each day.
Schools and school staff can play an important role in encouraging physical activity among students. Click below to read our new factsheet and find out what you can do.
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RECENT HIGHLIGHT FROM US...
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RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS
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School-based drug prevention: What works?
Planning your alcohol and drug prevention curriculum for the year? It's important to consider if the resources and programs are informed or supported by evidence. Here's a quick overview of what the current evidence tells us about what works, and what doesn't!
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Behind the News High: Alcohol advertising rules in Australia
Despite alcohol advertising being regulated in Australia, studies have found that some young people, including teenagers, are still seeing a lot of advertisements for alcohol on social media. Share this video with your students.
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Couldn't attend our previous webinar?
Access the full webinar recording + slides here! Presented by Dr Lauren Gardner, Natalie Gorgioski and David Brown, you'll hear a school educator's perspective on the barriers and facilitators to using mental health and substance use programs in the classroom.
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Recommended Program: Preventure
Have you heard about PreVenture? It's a personality-focused intervention which is proven to be effective at promoting mental health + reducing drug harms among high school students. To learn more about the program or to get involved, click here.
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RESOURCES FOR ABORIGINAL AND
TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER COMMUNITIES
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Interested in a culturally inclusive drug prevention program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students? Strong & Deadly Futures is a school-based drug prevention program combining illustrated storylines with interactive classroom activities. Developed with Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous high school students, it incorporates cultural strengths and focuses on empowering students. Learn more.
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We've been recognised as a Best Practice Example of digital prevention! The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing's latest Drug and Alcohol Program Final Evaluation Report found that Positive Choices "strengthened community awareness of AOD prevention approaches and increased access to evidence-based resources." Full report here.
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HEALTH EDUCATION TEACHERS
AND THEIR YEAR 10 STUDENTS NEEDED!
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Researchers at the Matilda Centre are currently evaluating respectED, a new evidence-based consent and respectful relationships program for Stage 5 students. Co-designed with young people, educators and experts, this curriculum-aligned program teaches respectful relationships in age-appropriate, authentic, and relatable ways. To express interest or find out more, reach out via respectED.study@sydney.edu.au
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The aim of this e-newsletter is to provide our subscribers with information about drug prevention resources, and to share relevant news and events.
Please help us spread the word by forwarding this newsletter to teachers and educators within your networks, as well as health professionals interested in drug prevention for young people, and encourage them to subscribe here.
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