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Media release
From:
NEWS BRIEFING – Tue Oct 13th at 10:30 AEDT online
UNSW’s National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) is releasing two annual reports on drug use among Australians at its National Drug Trends Conference on Wednesday October 14th. The first report covers users people who inject drugs, while the second surveyed people who regularly use ecstasy and related drugs.
The reports reveal that crystal methamphetamine (ice) use has increased among people who inject drugs, and has become embedded in that community. They warn that the market for the drug is now established and continues to grow. However, there is some good news on ice; regular ecstasy users are much lower users of crystal methamphetamine and have also significantly cut back their use of other forms of methamphetamine such as speed. But users report that ice is easy to get hold of in Australia, and that its purity is high.
Meanwhile, more people are smoking cannabis and they’re smoking more of it, while heroin users are also using that drug more often.
Join us for this online media briefing, when experts from NDARC will discuss these findings, along with new information about oxycodone use, the dark web, new psychoactive substances, and an increase in methamphetamine treatment rates and deaths.
SPEAKERS:
- Dr Courtney Breen is a Research Fellow at The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW
- Amanda Roxburgh is a Senior Research Officer with NDARC
DATE: Tue Oct 13th
START TIME: 10:30 am AEDT
DURATION: Approx. 45 min
JOINING ONLINE:
Journalists can follow the briefing online via audio and video streaming. Each presenter will speak for 5-7 minutes followed by questions. Journalists will have the opportunity to ask questions online.
1. Go to the briefing web portal by clicking here 5 minutes before the start time or anytime during the briefing.
2. Enter your name and email address
3. Click "Join".
If you are having difficulties logging in, we suggest you try pasting the link into a different browser.
(System requirements: You will need a broadband connection and speakers/headphones to hear the event. Allow 1-2 mins for your computer to be configured correctly, install ActiveX, if asked)
PHONE ONLY ACCESS:
1. For phone only access please call: 1800 049 813.
2. Enter access code 862 341 157#. Wait for the prompt and press #.
Radio stations can also record the briefing over a phone line. If you would like to make sure that you can connect, please contact us to arrange a quick test before the day.
If you have any problems joining the briefing online, phone Webex on 1800 493 239 quoting event number 862 341 157.
A recording will be posted here as soon as possible after the event.
For further information, please contact the AusSMC on 08 7120 8666 or email info@smc.org.au.
Date issued: 12 October 2015 AEDT = Australian Eastern Daylight Time
NB: The AusSMC generally runs two different types of media briefings:
NEWS BRIEFINGS – Where new research or data will be released as part of the briefing
BACKGROUND BRIEFINGS – Where experts discuss an issue which is in the news or an issue we consider newsworthy, but no new research or data is being released
Attachments
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