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WELCOME TO OUR FEBRUARY E-NEWSLETTER
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Dear *|FNAME|*,
Welcome back to Term 1 and another school year! The start of the year can be a great time to touch base with your teenager about alcohol and other drugs to help protect them against related harms. Positive Choices is here to help you!
As parents, we all want our teens to be happy, healthy and safe. In this newsletter, you'll find reliable and up-to-date information and resources so that you can have more effective and more informed conversations with your teen. We've also featured resources with the latest information on e-cigarettes and other nicotine based products, such as nicotine pouches.
Check out Positive Choices "Parents & Families" page for more information, resources and parenting tips:
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HAVE YOUR VOICE HEARD
AND HELP IMPROVE POSITIVE CHOICES!
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Are you a parent or carer of a teenager? We need your feedback to help improve Positive Choices. Tell us what resources you find most useful, what could be improved, and what you want to see more of.
We're looking for parents of teenagers to complete an online survey about our online evidence-based Australian drug education portal, Positive Choices (positivechoices.org.au).
The survey will take between 20-30 minutes and for participating, you’ll receive a $20 Prezzee gift voucher! Your input will help us provide more relevant and trustworthy resources to better help you talk to your children about drugs and alcohol.
To access the survey, please click the link below:
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RESOURCES FOR PARENTS AND FAMILIES
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New factsheet: Medical Stimulants and Study Drugs
Some students may think about using medical stimulants (or 'study drugs') to keep up with more demanding academic requirements. Yet, there are risks of using these drugs without a medical reason. Our new factsheet explains + shares helpful study tips for your teen.
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Talking to your teen about e-cigarettes/vaping
By now, your child has probably heard about e-cigarettes/vapes. They may have questions and may even have tried them. Our factsheet offers some useful tips for how you can have more effective conversations with your child about vaping. Click here to learn more.
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How many young people in Australia use alcohol or other drugs?
You might be surprised to hear that most young people have never actually tried an illegal drug or had a full serve of alcohol. View this factsheet to find out how many young people aged 12–17 have used drugs and alcohol.
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Why do young people use drugs and alcohol?
Knowing the pressures that young people face can help parents to understand their situation and respond constructively to drug and alcohol use. To learn about common reasons why they might use drugs and alcohol + ideas for starting conversations with them, click here.
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RESOURCES FOR ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER COMMUNITIES
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As a parent, you already know that spending time with your teenager is important to create a good relationship.
It can also help protect them from problems with alcohol (also called grog) and other drugs. However, you don’t have to do something big to spend time with your kids, simple things can already help. Check out these deadly activities that families can do together to help raise your kids strong.
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Nicotine pouches have been gaining widespread attention in recent months. Like e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches often have bright coloured packaging and flavours that appeal to young people. Our new blog post reveals what the latest research says about their use and potential risks.
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You may have heard in the media about health professionals using drugs such as MDMA and psilocybin as a potential tool in mental health treatments. But are they legal? And are they safe? Our recent blog post looks at psychedelic assisted therapies and key changes to Australia's regulations.
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Generation Vape and Cancer Council NSW's latest January report assessing the impacts of Australia’s vape laws has revealed a rise in adolescents who have never vaped and never smoked, a decline in vape purchases, and increased awareness of vaping harm. Read the full report here.
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OUR NEW PARENT BOOKLET
IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE!
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We've recently updated our online Parent booklet. In this new edition, you'll find the latest drug and alcohol information including a dedicated section on e-cigarettes and vaping! To access the free online flipbook and PDF versions, click here.
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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 other parents and families within your networks, and encourage them to subscribe here.
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