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WELCOME TO OUR NOVEMBER E-NEWSLETTER
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Dear *|FNAME|*,
Welcome to our Term 4 newsletter! This will be our final newsletter for 2023 as we approach the end of another school year!
In this edition, you'll find trusted resources to help you plan and deliver effective alcohol and drug education for your students in 2024, such as tips on what works when it comes to school-based drug prevention and recommended programs to implement in your classroom.
You'll also find evidence-based information and new research on young people's behaviours around alcohol and other drugs, plus recent changes to vaping regulation in Australia.
With many students planning to attend parties and other end-of-year celebrations with friends, it's important for teachers and health professionals to be prepared with the facts so that you can have effective conversations with young people about drugs and alcohol.
Visit Positive Choices website below to access accurate, up-to-date factsheets that can help you with guiding young people against alcohol and drug related harms:
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WEBINAR RECORDING: USING POSITIVE CHOICES
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Want to know what’s available in terms of school-based drug prevention ahead of the new school year? Looking for evidence-based materials proven to improve reduce alcohol and drug-related harms among students?
Watch our free webinar presented by Tara Guckel, Dr Smriti Nepal, Scarlett Smout and Dr Lauren Gardner at the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney. This webinar provides:
- Information about the trends in alcohol and other drugs use among Australian adolescents.
- Evidence about what does and doesn’t work when it comes to school-based drug and alcohol prevention.
- Awareness about Positive Choices' range of resources that cater to all students, regardless of individual learning styles and requirements.
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RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS
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Why do young people use drugs and alcohol?
Knowing the pressures that young people face can give adults a better understanding of why young people may use drugs and alcohol. This factsheet can help you to respond to questions and concerns in a constructive way.
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Why more young people are choosing not to drink alcohol
As the New Year rolls around, many people question the role that drinking alcohol plays in their life. This blog post explores what it means to be sober curious + how you can support young people in choosing to avoid alcohol.
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School-based drug and alcohol prevention: What works?
When selecting resources or programs for drug and alcohol prevention, it's important to consider whether the resource is informed or supported by evidence. This factsheet provides an overview of what the current evidence tells us about what works and what doesn't.
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Recommended school-based prevention programs
If you're looking to deliver effective drug and alcohol education in the new school year, click here to access our list of evidence-based programs recommended by Positive Choices. Teachers and school staff can sort by drug type, year level, curriculum + more.
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RESOURCES FOR ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER COMMUNITIES
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Did you know that our drug and alcohol information is available in Arrernte, Walrpiri and Torres Strait Islander Creole languages? Positive Choices shares knowledge to help parents and families talk about alcohol and other drugs with young people. We've created resources and information with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to help young people stay strong and safe. Click here to find resources translated in your local language.
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A study published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health revealed that 33% of Australians aged 15-30 had tried an e-cigarette in the past. It also found that most participants under 18 years old reported that e-cigarettes were at least somewhat easy to obtain. Read more here.
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Earlier this year, the Australian government announced that there would be 'crack down' on e-cigarettes and vaping. But what does that mean? And who will be impacted? This article by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation unpacks these changes to vaping regulation.
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A study led by researchers at the University of Queensland found that young people's exposure and engagement with e-cigarette and tobacco-related content on social media was associated with pro-use attitudes towards e-cigarettes and vaping + increased use of such products. Read more here.
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ORDER YOUR FREE BOOKLETS!
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Get your FREE copy of the teachers and schools booklet for evidence-based information on how to talk to students about alcohol and other drugs. You can also order a student version that can be shared in your health education classes next year!
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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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