Victorians have gambled – and lost – $66 billion on pokies in 30 years

Alliance for Gambling Reform, The Age

17 July 2022

30 years ago, 10,000 pokie machines were launched in Victoria. There are now 30,000, mostly in suburban pubs and clubs.

They have taken in $66 billon over the three decades, according to Victorian Gambling and Casino Control data analysed by the Alliance for Gambling Reform.

Labor premier Joan Kirner paved the way for the first pokie machines to be installed at Dorset Gardens Hotel in Croydon on July 17, 1992.

It followed years of gamblers heading to the NSW border to use the pokies, and Victoria wanted a piece of the $400 million pie.

When did sobriety become the biggest celebrity trend?

Hello Sunday Morning

6 July 2022

Dominique Robert-Hendren, head of clinical innovation and digital health at alcohol support service Hello Sunday Morning, agrees and adds that society’s interest in mindfulness and meditation has also played a part in the sober surge.

Former premier, health groups urge Perrottet to implement ice inquiry recommendations

Uniting, Odyysey House

24 June 2022

Former NSW Premier, Bob Carr has urged Premier Dominic Perrottet to act on the two-year-old ice inquiry, while the commissioner of the $10.8 million investigation says the absence of funding for drug reform was a shameful omission in last Tuesday’s budget. The former Labor premier, whose government established the Kings Cross supervised injecting centre in 2001, called on Perrottet to follow his stead and act on expert advice.

Study to probe new ice addiction treatment model

NDARC

11 May 2022

An investigation into a new drug-addiction treatment model, aimed at incentivising rather than punishing, could change the way clinicians attempt to cure methamphetamine dependence in Australia.

New data reveals rising cost of poker machines on Queensland families

Nine News

29 April 2022

New data shows south-east Queenslanders are spending millions of dollars a day on poker machines, with the number of problem gamblers on the rise.

‘A massive spiritual shift’: how the mindful movement of qigong can treat addiction

The Guardian

15 April 2022

The gentle motion, breathing and meditation stop the mind ‘wandering to negative thoughts’, says a recovering Victorian living with addiction

Turning Point has an exciting announcement!

Turning Point

23 March 2022

Turning Point has been appointed as Victoria’s new Statewide Specialist Service for people living with mental illness and substance use or addiction.

Alcohol-Related Deaths During the COVID-19 Pandemic

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Maryland

18 March 2022

Research suggests that alcohol consumption and related harms increased during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kayte developed drinking issues in the pandemic, she wants other women not to feel alone

Turning Point

12 March 2022

Clinicians, researchers and psychiatrists say the acute impact on women, who have been found to have been disproportionately affected by the Australian pandemic, was marked by a lack of social connections and other coping mechanisms during lockdowns and increased family and other stressors which contributed to all-time high numbers seeking mental health support. Demand for support with alcohol use issues is at “unprecedented” levels, with the most affected age group being women in mid-life (mid-40s to mid-60s).

Our love of sport is a gateway to gambling

University of Melbourne

9 March 2022

We are no strangers to having a punt – Australians lost approximately $A25 billion across all forms of gambling between 2018 and 2019. In fact, per capita, our losses are amongst the highest recorded in the world, and betting on sports is the fastest growing form of gambling in Australia.

Why Victoria should review its response to drugs and decriminalise usage

The Age

19 February 2022

Almost a century apart, one of the greatest intellects in human history and one of Australia’s leading law-enforcers expressed the same truth. Halfway between those two evidence-based statements, the so-called “War on Drugs” was launched.

Huge increase in Australian alcohol sales during the COVID-19 pandemic

FARE

16 February 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has been blamed for a huge increase in alcohol sales across Australia.

Woman jailed after stealing nearly $1m to play gaming app that never paid out

ABC News

8 February 2022

How do you stop gambling before it becomes a dangerous addiction that could ruin your life? By being honest and seeking help, according to gaming behaviour experts.

Opioid overdose deaths to ‘grow exponentially’ without action – study

The Guardian

3 February 2022

Report warns opioid crisis has a ‘good chance’ of spreading globally as overdose deaths from all drugs increased during the pandemic

Katie drinks more than she should. Research shows more middle-aged women are doing the same

ABC

27 January 2022

A new Australian study, published in the Drug and Alcohol Review journal, shows about 21 per cent of women between 45 and 60 are now drinking at "binge-drinking" levels.

Government urged to set harsher rules to protect children from 'Wild West' gambling ads

ABC

22 January 2022

According to experts, the lack of regulation over what children are being exposed to online is a major concern. One of the advertisements sighted by the ABC repeatedly playing on a children's app targeted to four-year-olds up is for a game that is designed like a poker machine.

Take the pressure off responses – how to tell others you’re not drinking

Hello Sunday Morning

14 January 2022

Are you worried about feeling in control of the conversation as you make changes to your drinking habits?

Team awarded MRFF funding to develop MDMA-assisted therapy to treat AUD and PTSD

Turning Point

10 January 2022

Turning Point's Professor Dan Lubman AM and Dr Shalini Arunogiri are part of an interdisciplinary team of researchers awarded over $1.9 million to investigate the efficacy of MDMA-assisted psychological treatment to treat people with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Support for legalising marijuana in Australia nearly doubles over six years

The Guardian

29 December 2021

More than 40% of Australians back legalisation of cannabis for personal use, National Drug Strategy Household Survey finds

Non-alcoholic drinks can help many cut back this Christmas, but for those struggling with addiction, they present their own risks

Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education

22 December 2021

Alcohol sales skyrocket in December across Australia, and with the increased sales comes an increase in alcohol-related harm.

‘Healing can begin with a handshake’: inside Sydney’s only Aboriginal-run drug and alcohol counselling centre

The Guardian

14 December 2021

Established by Hunter and Bonham in 1996, Marrin Weejali is Sydney’s only Aboriginal-run drug and alcohol service. In Wiradjuri, the most widely spoken Aboriginal language in NSW, marrin means body and spirit, weejali means essence. The goal is to unite these two in the one person. Marrin’s core philosophy grows out of the therapeutic community model and programs such as Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous, which are built on the belief that people sharing their common experience can solve their common problem.

Revision of the Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol

Turning Point

3 December 2021

This week the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) published an article describing the process of revising the NHMRC’s 2020 Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol.

Alcohol prevention reduces risky drinking and related harms in adulthood

The Matilda Centre

26 November 2021

Adolescents who received 'Climate Schools' or 'PreVenture' school-based preventative interventions report up to 96% reduced-odds of hazardous alcohol use, and up to 87% reduced the odds of experiencing alcohol-related harms, when compared to young people who received 'health education as usual', researchers from the Matilda Centre have found.

Inside ice addiction by Sydney woman, 31, who was ‘loved back to life’ after five years of drug dependence

7Life

20 November 2021

Ten years ago you couldn’t walk around the streets of Penrith without seeing smiling images of successful real estate agent Jessica Gaddes, 31, plastered on open-home signs. Until one day she tried the drug ice. “It took my soul,” Jessica told 7Life.

Let’s break the link between alcohol and mental health conversations

The Age

8 November 2021

As a society, we need to rid the myth of making it comfortable for people to talk about mental health by using alcohol. Alcohol acts as a catalyst for magnifying further challenges with mental health. Is alcohol consumption so normalised in this country that people cannot see that part of the conversation?

Read AFL superstar's extraordinary handwritten note opening up on drug and gambling addictions

Daily Mail

25 October 2021

Former AFL superstar Dayne Beams has shared his confronting drug and gambling addictions that prematurely ended his career. The Collingwood midfielder shocked the AFL in the middle of the 2019 season when he announced he was taking indefinite leave to battle depression.

Marisa made it through lockdowns without turning back to addiction, but it wasn't easy

Turning Point

21 October 2021

"I'm almost 11 years clean and sober, I haven't had a single drop of alcohol or a single drug. It's never been harder than during lockdowns to keep it this way."

Fewer suicides, but alcohol-related deaths rose in first pandemic year

Sydney Morning Herald

29 September 2021

Spending on alcohol home delivery boomed across the country, alcohol-related deaths also rose, increasing by 8.3 per cent compared to 2019, according to the ABS, or an increase of about 103 deaths.

Injecting hope: A game-changing treatment in the opioid-dependence fight

Monash University

22 September 2021

Launched in Melbourne in 2001, International Overdose Awareness Day – which was marked on 31 August – is the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose. It’s a day to remember those who have lost their lives, and acknowledge the grief of family, friends and loved ones left behind.

Keith Urban opens up about 15 years of sobriety and effects of dad's alcohol struggles

Today

9 September 2021

The country music star spoke to the Australian edition of Rolling Stone about getting sober 15 years ago after having grown up with a father who had his own issues with alcoholism. Kidman, 54, staged an intervention just four months after they tied the knot.

Overdose deaths remain stubbornly high: we need to do more to save lives

Croakey

31 August 2021

International Overdose Awareness Day, being marked today (31 August), is proclaimed as the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose, remember without stigma those who have died and acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind.

Lazy drug journalism 101: The petty crime montage

AOD Media Watch

30 August 2021

Last year, AOD Media Watch published a piece about the Cranbourne Leader naming and shaming people who had committed petty drug-related crimes on their Facebook page.

Parents warned against allowing teens to drink as study reveals underage alcohol use in Australia

The Guardian

12 August 2021

More than a quarter of Australians aged 16 and 17 are allowed to drink at home, a study shows, with researchers warning parents against supervised consumption.

Problem gambling spirals across Queensland

ABC

28 July 2021

Twenty-one years ago when David McAnalen entered a licensed venue with a gaming room, it wasn't unusual for him to lose thousands of dollars.

Advocates say most gamblers are losing more than ever

ABC

16 May 2021

The week before Australia's first COVID-19 lockdown, Barry* lost $3,000 on the pokies. He is among many telling their story under a pseudonym due to the stigma around gambling.

Victorian coroner recommends drug purity testing after investigating deaths of five men

ABC

7 April 2021

The Victorian coroner has recommended the Victorian State Government urgently introduce drug testing for the first time, after the deaths of five young men who thought they were taking MDMA.

Alcohol support services stretched

ABC

15 February 2021

New data has revealed Tasmanians are spending more on alcohol than ever before, and support services are already feeling the effects.

Why now is the time for Australia to rethink addiction

Monash University

11 January 2021

The year 2020 has challenged us all. The bushfires and then the pandemic forced us to reflect on what’s important, how we respond to crises as a community, and the ways we connect and support each other.

Inside the life of a secret alcoholic

Podcast

3 December 2020

She’d leave work for a coffee break and buy a bottle of white wine. She’d consume roughly around 80 standard drinks, within one week.

A conversation with Prof. Dan Lubman

Health Link

16 November 2020

If you’re like most people, the word “addiction” might conjure up an image of a shady person clutching a paper bag filled with cheap red wine. But according to the National Survey of Mental Health, one in five Australians have a problem with drugs, alcohol or gambling at some point in their lives.

Is alcohol bad for your heart?

Alcohol and Drug Foundation

11 July 2022

In Australia we’re seeing people become increasingly conscious of how alcohol might be affecting their health. More of us are cutting out drinking completely, and many others are taking action to reduce their drinking.

Alcohol continues to be one of the top risk factors for poor health around the world. It’s linked to a number of long-term health conditions like cardiovascular disease, cancer, stroke and liver disease.

Alcohol’s relationship with heart health is a topic on many Australians’ minds – and we’re here to give you all the facts.

Stigma a hurdle to treatment for addiction

Turning Point

27 June 2022

Monday is PTSD Awareness Day, and Turning Point has joined with dozens of other health organisations around the country to run a stigma-tackling campaign called Rethink Addiction.

Linda's son bought 11 bottles of vodka in his final 10 days. She's now pushing for changes to liquor licensing laws

ABC News

22 June 2022

The mother of a Melbourne man who died of alcohol toxicity is pushing for changes to liquor licensing laws and for greater scrutiny for people who sell alcohol to problem drinkers.

WHO highlights glaring gaps in regulation of alcohol marketing across borders

World Health Organisation

10 May 2022

A new report from the World Health Organization highlights the increasing use of sophisticated online marketing techniques for alcohol and the need for more effective regulation. It shows that young people and heavy drinkers are increasingly targeted by alcohol advertising, often to the detriment of their health.

'Year's worth of pay': Wife lifts the lid on Brendan Fevola addiction

Yahoo News

28 April 2022

Alex Fevola has opened up on the moment she realised husband Brendan had lost their entire savings because of his gambling addiction.

Supporting someone through recovery

Alcohol and Drug Foundation

6 April 2022

Is somebody you care about going through alcohol or other drug treatment? As a close family member or friend, you can be a major source of support. By staying connected to them during treatment and recovery, you can help to make a lasting and positive change.

NSW ‘long overdue’ on important criminal justice reforms

Lawyers Weekly

20 March 2022

Following reports that there has been little progress on two “long overdue” areas of criminal justice reform, the NSW Bar Association has called on the state government to stop “throwing more public money” at the models that do not work.

Five percent of Australians drank more than a third of all alcohol sold

Kiss FM

18 March 2022

The report by Latrobe University researchers reveals that five percent of Australians drank more than a third (36.1 percent) of all alcohol sold. They also averaged almost eight (7.83) drinks a day per person.

The AFL’s ‘engine’: How gambling money underpins footy

The Age

12 March 2022

One of the key figures in sports gambling in Australia has opened up about the millions flowing to footy from the gambling companies. It comes in ways that might surprise you.

AFL champion Dayne Beams opens up on drug and gambling addictions

News.com.au

5 March 2022

AFL champion Dayne Beams has lifted the lid on his debilitating drug and gambling problems for the first time in a bid to help others overcome their own addictions. Speaking to Neroli Meadows’ OrdiNeroli Speaking podcast, Beams estimated he had lost close to $1m gambling and said he spent two years in the grips of addiction to prescription drugs.

Is the government ready to take on pubs and clubs, as well as Crown?

The Age

18 February 2022

In a report littered with damning discoveries, this, says Finkelstein, is “perhaps the most damning” of all. “Crown Melbourne had for years held itself out as having a world’s best approach to problem gambling,” Finkelstein said, “nothing can be further from the truth”.

The impact of alcohol on cardiovascular health

World Heart Federation

14 February 2022

This report explores impact of alcohol use on cardiovascular health and found that 40 out of 230 International Classification of Diseases would not occur without alcohol.

Signs of alcohol dependency by Sydney mum who drank every day for years before quitting for good

7News

7 February 2022

‘It was like my body was starting to reject alcohol before my brain was ready to’ - Cathy O’Brien

How to cope with your sibling's substance use issues

Turning Point

2 February 2022

Shalini Arunogiri, deputy clinical director at Turning Point and a senior research fellow at Monash University, recommends looking at the Australian Drug Foundation, the Counselling Online and Family Drug Support websites to begin. "And there are some support networks and education for families online, like Cracks In The Ice, that go through situations around aggression and when to seek other help."

Bush sobriety advocate named Australia’s Local Hero for 2022

Sober in the Country

25 January 2022

This year’s Australia Day Local Hero has helped countless people in the bush tackle their alcohol problems and is looking to change the way the nation deals with drinking.

ATO's 'hardline' drug, alcohol policy will drive substance use underground, union warns

The Canberra Times

21 January 2022

Managers at the tax office could soon be expected to dob in staff members they suspect might be using illegal drugs outside of work or drinking on the job, under new rules proposed by the human resources office.

The Impact of Stigma on People with Opioid Use Disorder, Opioid Treatment, and Policy

Monash University and Turning Point

11 January 2022

Illicit drug use disorders are the most stigmatised health conditions worldwide, and stigma acts as a meaningful barrier to treatment entry and treatment provision.

Binge drinking and alcohol misuse are problems across Australia, but more visible in outback towns

ABC

6 January 2022

It is a grim Christmas scene in the baking heat of Broome, where dozens of people sit amid blankets, empty wine bottles, and discarded food wrappers.

Five key lessons from the fight against alcohol-related harm

Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education

23 December 2021

The immense power of the alcohol industry is a roadblock to interventions that could reduce the billion-dollar costs of alcohol-related harm, according to a senior public health advocate.

Why poker machine maker Aristocrat Leisure is splurging $5b to get into 'real money gaming'

Alliance for Gambling Reform

20 December 2021

Aristocrat is one of the world's biggest manufacturers of electronic gaming machines, called EGMs or pokies. But they're for physical casinos, clubs and pubs. Now the company is making its biggest bet yet: the $5 billion purchase of real money gaming goliath Playtech.

Footy superstar Cameron Munster admits he lost $50,000 in one day gambling - as he reveals the sad extent of his alcohol and punting addiction

Daily Mail

12 December 2021

Footy star Cameron Munster has revealed how he lost $50,000 in a single day during lockdown as alcohol and gambling addictions threatened to end his career. Munster, 27, has won two premierships with the Melbourne Storm and is recognised as one of the best rugby league players in the world. But the Queensland five-eighth has also secretly battled addictions which could have cost him his NRL contract and relationship with his pregnant girlfriend.

Time to address addiction treatment inequality in hospital settings

The Lancet

30 November 2021

Injection drug use, and substance use more broadly, places an enormous health and economic burden on society.

Do I have a problem with alcohol?: the blurred line between a daily drink and a drinking problem

The Guardian

22 November 2021

The lines become blurred when it comes to deciding if a person has a problem with alcohol and whether they have developed an alcohol use disorder (formerly known as alcohol dependence). This is colloquially known as being an alcoholic – a term we avoid in addiction psychiatry. It’s not surprising to hear that people with AUD are told their drinking is a problem by family, partners or work colleagues.

More people drank excessively during the pandemic. The world must tackle its alcohol problem

World Economic Forum

11 November 2021

Every year, excessive drinking takes a huge toll on people’s lives and health across the world. “Alcohol consumption contributes to 3 million deaths each year globally, as well as to the disabilities and poor health of millions of people,” the World Health Organization (WHO) reports.

Multiple barriers to ‘brief interventions’ for alcohol in primary care

RACGP

26 October 2021

A lack of time, resources and low community awareness of alcohol harms influence uptake of brief interventions, according to new research.

$5 million in funding awarded to expert multidisciplinary team to develop new treatments for alcohol use disorder

Monash University

22 October 2021

An interdisciplinary team of researchers from Monash University, Turning Point, the University of Sydney, the University of New South Wales and the Florey Institute have been awarded a $5 million NHMRC Synergy Grant over five years to investigate new treatments for alcohol use disorder. The project will bridge clinical and basic science discovery to identify new treatment options for people with alcohol problems and to develop approaches for personalised treatment.

Duchess of Cambridge warns addiction can happen to anyone

BBC

20 October 2021

"None of us are immune" to addiction, the Duchess of Cambridge warned as she highlighted the "devastating impact" of the pandemic on addiction rates. She said that by understanding what lies beneath addiction "we can help remove the taboo and shame that sadly surrounds it".

It is time to treat drug addiction as a mental health issue

Canberra Times

27 September 2021

In the US, "drug addiction is starting to be treated as a health problem". I look forward to that change in Australia so that young people afflicted in this way will no longer need to crawl to shelter through our dog doors.

September 11 terrorist attacks sparked 20-year battle for victim's twin brother

ABC

10 September 2021

"Alcohol was something that I used to numb the pain and, many years down the track, it was anything to get me out of myself," he said. "There was shopping, gambling and alcohol — and then drugs.

WA leads the nation with the highest number of drug overdose deaths

ABC

1 September 2021

Do you know someone who has accidentally overdosed? New research has today revealed that since the turn of this century there have been more than 34,000 overdose deaths in Australia and most of them are unintentional.

International Overdose Awareness Day

Penington Institute

31 August 2021

International Overdose Awareness Day is the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose, remember without stigma those who have died and acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind. Time to Remember. Time to Act. The event has been run by the Penington Institute since 2012.

The uncomfortable truth about drug overdose and suicide

Monash University

29 August 2021

For the fifth consecutive year, more than 2000 Australians have died as a result of a drug overdose, highlighting the urgent need to prioritise public health interventions and policies that work.

If you’re drinking or betting more in lockdown, you’re not alone. But watch for these signs of addiction

The Conversation

11 August 2021

For the millions of Australians currently living under lockdowns — many without clarity on when things might return to “normal” — there’s no doubt the restrictions on our day-to-day lives present a variety of challenges and hardships. But for people who have addictions, or who are at risk of developing an addiction, lockdowns can pose a unique set of difficulties.

'Huge stigma' attached to ice addiction prevents people from seeking help, treatment

ABC

25 July 2021

Jack Nagle was 19 when he was introduced to crystal methamphetamine, or ice, for the first time. As his use increased, Jack experienced periods of psychosis, often remembering little, if anything, of those episodes. The toll it took on his health and on his relationships was devastating.

Pressure to limit opening hours to prevent problem gambling

ABC

3 May 2021

"You don't want people to know that you are gambling money away because people don't understand it, that it is an illness."

Addiction almost killed AFL star Rod Owen, but he was hiding the agony of abuse

ABC

3 April 2021

As evening approached on October 21, 2018, an emaciated, sickly man with hollow eyes and an agitated manner staggered along Bay Street in Port Melbourne, limping and muttering, scattering startled passers-by. Could it really be him? The once-great AFL footballer? Was it really Rod Owen?

‘She saved my life’: how a stranger helped Fiona O’Loughlin fight her alcoholism

The Age

29 January 2021

Comedian Fiona O’Loughlin, 57, was homeless and battling alcoholism when she met Sue Underwood, 59, a nurse turned hospitality entrepreneur. The encounter proved a turning point for them both

Rethink Addiction Webinar

Rethink Addiction

18 December 2020

Off the back of the incredible SBS series, Addicted Australia, and all of the support that Rethink Addiction received from our partners and the general public, we wrapped up 2020 with a free virtual event to discuss the role of frontline workers in the alcohol and other drugs (AoD) space.

Healthcare workers want an integrated approach to addiction

ABC

24 November 2020

GPs, paramedics and addiction support service workers say they are 'stretched to the limit' when responding to and treating people living with an addiction.

Fiona O'Loughlin's Battle Against The Drug That Kills You As You Kick It

Mamamia

15 November 2020

In your circle of family and friends, it's estimated that at least 7 of them will have faced a battle with addiction at some stage of their lives. The Quicky investigates the drug that is legal and an accepted social lubricant, but is also one of the deadliest drugs to ditch.

Australia's Ice Epidemic: How One Town Fought Back

Turning Point, Odyssey House

6 July 2022

As the rates of meth addiction sweep Australia at an alarming pace, access to rehabilitation facilities has become increasingly challenging – particularly for addicts in isolated rural towns. The most recent available data from the non-profit addiction research and education centre Turning Point shows that episodes of care for alcohol and illicit drugs occur at more than twice the state-wide rate.

RACGP calls for action on drug reform

Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

​

The Chair of RACGP Specific Interests Addiction Medicine had seen numerous other inquiries into illegal drug use come and go without any making ‘much difference’ and feared the latest iteration would be more of the same.

Why don't politicians want to talk about the gambling industry? Political donations

Alliance for Gambling Reform

12 May 2022

"Given the concern that exists across our community about the harm sports betting is doing, it could be somewhat surprising that it has been absent from the current election campaign"

Rod's been using heroin for 38 years. This is what he wants you to know about drug addiction

ABC

1 May 2022

When Rod was homeless, he needed to find places he could inject heroin without being seen. That's how he ended up overdosing in the bathroom at the Victoria Park train station. He said he would have died if it had not been for the person who happened to be in the stall next to him who called an ambulance.

In Australia, slot machines are everywhere. So is gambling addiction.

The Washington Post

26 April 2022

SYDNEY — One by one, the men and women recounted lives ruined, relationships severed, bank accounts emptied. A young father stared at the ceiling in shame as he described another relapse. A burly man’s voice broke as he recalled stealing from his sons’ piggy bank to fuel his habit. A woman on Zoom clutched her cat to her chest as she described hitting “rock bottom.”

Parental gambling affects 200,000 Australian children, new study

Women's Health Australia

3 April 2022

Nearly 200,000 children under the age of 15 in Australia are exposed to moderate or problem gambling by their parents, according to a landmark new study.

Study finds methamphetamine the most consumed illicit drug nationwide

The Guardian

19 March 2022

Study finds methamphetamine the most consumed illicit drug nationwide – and the problem is worse outside the cities

Two beers a day can age your brain

News.com.au

13 March 2022

Just two beers a day can age your brain by the equivalent of 10 years, according to a new study. The UK study, published in Nature, found that a couple of pints or glasses of wine with dinner in the evening could be accelerating ageing.

It’s time to decriminalise personal drug use. Here’s why

Turning Point

9 March 2022

At present, policing of our failed drug laws overwhelmingly targets everyday people who use drugs. In Victoria, for example, almost 95% of drug arrests are of individual users, with 80% of all drug arrests last year only for drug possession or use.

Do you have anxiety and drink alcohol to cope? It could be making things worse

ABC

27 February 2022

Many people drink alcohol as a way of coping with or managing symptoms of anxiety. While it may provide momentary relief, in the long-term alcohol makes anxiety worse by disrupting chemicals and processes in the brain.

Grill’d co-founder Geoff Bainbridge quits Lark Distilling board over alleged drug use video

The Guardian

16 February 2022

If we want to change the conversation about addiction, it's time to stop weaponising drug use.

'The stigma holds you back’: Public mood shifts on illegal drugs

Uniting

13 February 2022

Rebecca is convinced, both from her personal and professional experience, that drug addiction should be treated as a health issue.

Australians left with bigger thirst for alcohol as pandemic drinking habits stick

Alcohol and Drug Foundation

4 February 2022

Australians who drank more during the height of the pandemic risk entrenching a bad habit, the Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF) has said, as some struggle to reduce their intake.

Lockdowns behind worsening ice use

NDARC and Turning Point

28 January 2022

Turning Point director Professor Dan Lubman said his support services and hotlines had seen a “dramatic increase” in harms related to alcohol, drugs and gambling since the pandemic started.

Stop alcohol companies and lobbyists working to undermine health policy

FARE

24 January 2022

The alcohol industry has borrowed from tobacco companies’ playbook in the strategies they use to resist effective public health interventions, according to a policy brief released recently by the World Heart Federation.

Australian alcohol lobby urges WHO to abandon plan to slash consumption

FARE

21 January 2022

Public health advocates warn that alcohol companies, including the Australian industry, are hampering international efforts to tackle the harm caused by drinking and seeking to undermine scientific evidence as the WHO consults on new measures.

Has COVID-19 changed Australia’s alcohol consumption?

RACGP

11 January 2022

Surprisingly it is younger Australians who have reduced their alcohol use, whereas those in childcaring roles, particularly middle-aged women, have increased their intake.

Some sober thoughts post-lockdown

Her Canberra

4 January 2022

As I sit down to write this, I check my calendar and see I am coming up to 80 days without drinking alcohol.

Thank you for your support in 2021

Rethink Addiction

23 December 2021

Get the December update and the year in review in this #RethinkAddiction blog update

Mahalia Barnes speaks candidly about her family's battles with addiction

Daily Mail

18 December 2021

Mahalia Barnes speaks candidly about her family's battles with addiction and says she is 'proud' of father Jimmy for being open about his struggles

‘Risky levels’: Australia are the heaviest drinkers in the world, survey finds

The Guardian

3 December 2021

Australians have been named the heaviest drinkers in the world after spending more time drunk in 2020 than any other nation. An international survey has found Australians drank to the point of drunkenness an average of 27 times a year, almost double the global average of 15. Almost a quarter of Australians reported feeling regret for becoming intoxicated.

‘Unapologetically truthful and unapologetically Blak’:

The Guardian

29 November 2021

Baarka didn’t come to mess around. Born Chloe Quayle, the 26-year-old rapper was a former teenager (living with an ice addiction) who did three stints in jail – during her last, five years ago, she gave birth to her third child.

Lockdowns affected our relationship with alcohol. Here’s what comes next

The New Daily

21 November 2021

New guidelines developed by the National Health and Medical Research Council recommend no more than 10 standard drinks per week and no more than four standard drinks on any given day.

Rethink Addiction November Campaign Update

Rethink Addiction

11 November 2021

Get the latest information on the campaign to #RethinkAddiction. Check out our new partners and recent events.

Time to prevent and minimise gambling harms

Turning Point

26 October 2021

The Royal Commission found that 7.5% of people struggling with gambling reported that their gambling had contributed to or caused a suicide attempt or ideation. That’s 2,112 suicide attempts or ideation among high-risk gamblers, and a further 8,802 suicide attempts or ideation among low to medium risk gamblers, within the previous 12 months.

Three finalist films are shortlisted for the 2021 Walkley Documentary Award

The Walkleys

21 October 2021

The Walkley Foundation announced finalists for the 2021 Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism, with Addicted Australia shortlisted for the Documentary Award.

Kevin Rudd's ex-bodyguard Gary Fahey reveals how he squandered $1.7million on a gambling addictio

Daily Mail Australia

19 October 2021

Fahey is now rebuilding his life and works as a gym owner focusing on men's health and addiction. 'I've been to the depths of hell in my own life,' he said to the camera. 'I let down everybody. I want my family to know that their faith in me wasn't misled.

Alcohol use in children, and how parents can make a difference

Matilda Centre

26 September 2021

Australian research and also research in the US and Europe is starting to show, that giving a child any alcohol at all is increasing their chance of binge drinking, and it's actually then increasing their chance of seeking alcohol elsewhere.

Push to ban credit cards in online gambling

News.com.au

10 September 2021

There are calls to ban the use of credit cards in online betting platforms over fears they are causing irreparable financial harm.

Urgent call to combat crisis killing more Aussies than Covid-19

News.com.au

31 August 2021

While deaths from drug overdoses are largely hidden from the public eye, chilling data has revealed just how urgently the issue needs addressing as a national health crisis.

Urgent call to combat crisis killing more Aussies than Covid-19

Penington Institute

31 August 2021

For six consecutive years, drug-related fatalities have surpassed 2000 — more than the road toll and deaths related to Covid-19, according to findings released by the Penington Institute.

The uncomfortable truth about drug overdose and suicide

Monash University

29 August 2021

For the fifth consecutive year, more than 2000 Australians have died as a result of a drug overdose, highlighting the urgent need to prioritise public health interventions and policies that work.

Study shows COVID-19 restrictions leads to increased alcohol-related harms

Monash University

5 August 2021

New research examining ambulance attendances for alcohol-related harms during COVID-19 restrictions in Victoria has found that attendances to homes increased by 9 percent in 2020, with those from more socioeconomic advantaged areas showing the largest percentage change.

How can opioid deaths be reduced?

RACGP

3 June 2021

It is no revelation that death rates among people with opioid dependence is higher than that of the general population.

How to know if you can quit alcohol alone or need professional help

ABC

7 April 2021

Whether you're planning to go completely sober or just cut