CHANGING THE DRINKING CULTURE OF YOUNG AUSTRALIANS A Drug Action Week Event qnada, dovetail, drug-arm

Acknowledgement We acknowledge the traditional owners of the Brisbane area – the Jaggera and Turrbal peoples, and pay our respects to their elders past and present.

Today we will look at the following: The drinking culture of young Australians Panel Discussion Siobhan Delgado – YETI, Cairns Erin Mercer – Chill Out Zone, Fortitude Valley Acting Inspector Mark Lingwood - QEIPPS Questions

The rise of alcohol…

1995 – 2000: The Heroin Age

2000 – 2005: Illicit Drugs, especially Ice (“The Ice Age”)

2005 onwards… The Booze Age

2010 onwards: The analogue age??

The costs of alcohol… Economic modelling of the costs of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use reveal the following: Alcohol: Tangible costs ($10.8 billion) + Intangible costs ($4.5 billion) + Costs of someone else’s drinking ($20 billion) = $35.3 billion per year Tobacco: Tangible costs ($12 billion) + Intangible costs ($19.5 billion) + costs = $31.5 billion per year Illicit Drugs: Tangible costs ($6.9 billion) + Intangible costs ($1.2 billion) = $8.1 billion per year Source: Collins, D., Lapsley, H. (2008) The Costs of Tobacco, Alcohol and Illicit Drug Abuse to Australian Society in 2004/05 Australian Department of Health and Ageing, Canberra Laslett, A-M. et al (2010) The Range and Magnitude of Alcohol’s Harm to Others AER Centre for Alcohol Policy Research Fitzroy

Alcohol use by young people Declines in alcohol use in young people noted between 2002 and 2008 48% of 16-17yo consumed alcohol in the 7 days prior to the survey in 2002 38% of 16-17yo consumed alcohol in the 7 days prior to the survey in 2008 No change in rates of risky drinking amongst young people between 2002 and 2008 Still, high risk drinking remains much more prevalent than it did during the 1980s / early 1990s Australian secondary school students’ use of tobacco, alcohol, and over-the-counter and illicit substances in 2008 http://www.nationaldrugstrategy.gov.au

Prevalence of risky drinking among 12-15 year old current drinkers, 1984-2008 1996-2008 Australian Secondary School Alcohol Drug Surveys The prevalence of risky drinking (defined as drinking more than 6 drinks for males and more than 4 for females) increased throughout the 1990s. The 2008 data suggests that there may be a ‘slowing down’ in the rate of increase but it is still much more prevalent than it was in the 1980s and early 90s Australian secondary school students’ use of tobacco, alcohol, and over-the-counter and illicit substances in 2008 http://www.nationaldrugstrategy.gov.au

Prevalence of risky drinking among 16-17 year old current drinkers, 1984-2008 1996-2008 Australian Secondary School Alcohol Drug Surveys Australian secondary school students’ use of tobacco, alcohol, and over-the-counter and illicit substances in 2008 http://www.nationaldrugstrategy.gov.au

Drink types most commonly consumed by those who drank alcohol in the past week, 2008 2008 ASSAD Survey Not surprisingly, beer is more popular with young men than young women and the opposite is true for premixed spirits. However, the drink type consistently popular across all ages and genders is spirits

Post Alco Pops tax… The verdict? Seems to have worked Excise data from the first full year after the tax came into effect showed a more than 30% reduction in RTD sales and a 1.5% reduction in total pure alcohol sold in Australia.

Percentage of students who describe themselves as a ‘non-drinker’, 2008 IN Imminent danger On his back may vomit Especially after ETOH intake Tongue falling back obstructs airway Australian secondary school students’ use of tobacco, alcohol, and over-the-counter and illicit substances in 2008 http://www.nationaldrugstrategy.gov.au 15

National Drug Strategy Household Survey According to the most recent Survey: A third of 14- to 19-year-olds drank at levels that put them at risk of injury at least once during the previous month; Around 28% of 14- to 19-year-olds reported being victims of alcohol-related verbal abuse (and 13% were victims of alcohol-related physical abuse) in the previous 12 months.

Recent policy targeting alcohol use Focus on Binge drinking Curfews: 3am lock-out Parliamentary Inquiry into Alcohol-related Violence Drink Safe Precinct Consideration of raising the legal age limit What do you notice about these policies???

Where do young people get their drinking habits and ideas from?

The real problem drinkers?

The ‘problematising of youth’ We have panicked about young people for centuries – perhaps since forever! Do adults have short memories? Do adults project their own anxieties about the future onto young people? Or is there a new, legitimate concern? Or are we simply conditioned and acculturated to construct young people in this manner. (after all, they did it to us in the first place! Now it’s our turn)

The drinking culture of Australia???

Alcohol and sport

Schoolies

Worried about Schoolies? Well what about the Melbourne Cup? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dqAswfxzzY&feature=fvwp&NR=1

Or this leader’s recent efforts? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5mBShX9fdU

So how do we change the drinking culture in young people? Raise drinking age to 25? Make alcohol twice as expensive? Pharmacotherapy? Outlaw pubs, clubs and parties? Ban alcohol altogether? Offer other alternatives?

The Panel… Siobhan Delgado – Youth Empowered Towards Independence (YETI), Cairns Erin Mercer – Chill Out Zone, Fortitude Valley Acting Inspector Mark Lingwood – Qld Early Intervention Pilot Project (QEIPP), Qld Police

Drug Action Week Panel Changing the Drinking Culture of Young Australians Welcome and Introductions

QEIPP Pilot Sites Sunshine Coast Rockhampton Cherbourg Toowoomba Logan Cairns Emerald Brisbane City

Early intervention does it work?

Cherbourg Junior Police Rangers Building Resilience re·sil·ience noun The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness It takes the whole community to build resilience

Roby Program May 2012

QEIPP Alcohol Education Unit The solution for the pollution QEIPP Alcohol Education Unit 8 Units 70 minutes each Last unit assessment tool Delivered by teachers in years 8 and 9 as part of health curriculum Currently in 30 schools

QEIPP first primary school forum participants

Alcohol was identified as having preceded two in five homicides in 2007-2008 Homicide in Australia: 2007-2008 National Monitoring Program Annual Report

The Panel… Siobhan Delgado – Youth Empowered Towards Independence (YETI), Cairns Erin Mercer – Chill Out Zone, Fortitude Valley Acting Inspector Mark Lingwood – Qld Early Intervention Pilot Project (QEIPP), Qld Police