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Understanding your medicines will help you get the most from them. Ask your doctor, pharmacist, nurse or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioner or Worker.

Drugs and alcohol can make you feel good for a little while, but in the long run will make you feel much worse. Drugs and alcohol can also weaken your spirit and your connection with family, community and culture.

There are many definitions out there of what a drug is, simply drugs are substances that change a person’s physical or mental state. Learn about what drugs are and what you need to know in this factsheet from Your Room.

It might surprise you to learn that alcohol, tobacco and illegal drug use are higher among people living in remote areas than those living in the big cities. Almost one third of young Australians live in rural and remote communities, so it is important to understand why they might be more at risk.

In Australia, drinking (and other drug use) cultures can change depending on where you live. This page from the Australian Drug Foundation looks at alcohol and other drug use in regional, rural and remote areas – what contributes to use and what are the impacts.

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People in rural or remote areas have to contend with long-term and wide-ranging sources of stress. Some people who are depressed turn to alcohol to feel better. This is known as ‘self-medication’. It is a common but unsafe and ineffective coping strategy for farmers and other people living in rural and remote areas.

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Farming is already a dangerous enough industry. This article from the National Centre for Farmer Health explores the topic of drugs and alcohol, and how this can make an impact on the safety on your farm.

This page from the National Centre for Farmer Health looks at whether farmers are at higher risk of alcohol related problems, and what farmers need to keep in mind to keep themselves healthy and safe.

The majority of people never use drugs, but it is important for people to know how to assist someone if a drug-related emergency happens. Drugs are unpredictable; they can affect people in different ways. This article from Positive Choices explains what to do in case someone you know has taken a drug and needs help.

Single-use vapes will be banned from being imported into Australia from the beginning of 2024 as part of the federal government's vaping crackdown. This article explores the changes being made.

This article looks at the new vaping legislation and how this may impact people who vape.

Stigma is often associated with mental health and drug use disorders, and can have lasting impacts including harassment, bullying and preventing young people from seeking help. Learn more in this Webinar from Positive Choices: Understanding stigma - creating a safe supportive environment for Australian young people