Young People

This resource has been developed for young people who use substances, have friends who use substances or would like to educate themselves in an objective way about substances.

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Vaping is similar to smoking cigarettes, but instead of burning tobacco it heats a liquid. Are you a parent, carer or teacher worried about young people vaping? Or a young person wanting information or trying to cut back? Here you can find resources and support.

What are inhalants, and do young people use them? What kind of effects can inhalant use have on a young person's health and wellbeing? Find out more in this article from the Australian Drug Foundation.

This factsheet explores what inhalants are, how many young people have used them, and what the effects of inhalants are.

The Australian Secondary School Students Alcohol and Drug (ASSAD) survey is Australia’s largest national survey of adolescent substance use. The survey has been running since 1984 and the 2022-2023 survey results have recently been released. The data help us get a better picture of young Australian’s substance use and how this has changed over time.

Young people are often exposed to alcohol and other drug use through the media, whether this be through advertisements, the news, fictionalised media (e.g., movies, tv shows), or social media. These exposures and advertising techniques can be very persuasive and can go on to influence a young person’s own use.

It's not surprising that the tobacco industry is introducing more products to maintain its future revenue stream as reforms restrict access to vaping products, writes Associate Professor Becky Freeman in The Conversation.

E-cigarettes/vapes are spoken about a lot, and your child could see them on social media, through friends or other sources. They may have questions and may even have tried them. It’s important to have open communication with your child, to help them as they face new experiences and challenges. Here are some tips for talking about e-cigarettes with your child.

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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.

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

An insight into the pressures young people face can give parents and teachers an understanding of the reasons young people may use drugs and alcohol. This can help in responding in a constructive way. In this factsheet from Positive Choices, you will find some of the reasons young people give for using drugs and alcohol and ideas for starting conversations with them.

What can you do if you're a teacher, a neighbor, a churchgoer, a coach ... and you suspect a child is being impacted by a parent's addiction? This article from NPR provides some tips to support a child who may be impacted by family addiction.