The ACT Government has released its ACT Drug Strategy Action Plan 2022-2026, which outlines priority areas for the ACT and evidence-based actions to minimise harms from alcohol, tobacco and other drugs for the next four years.
Under the Plan, the ACT Government will:
• Establish a multidisciplinary service to support young people who have mental health needs co-occurring with trauma, disability and/or drug and alcohol use;
• Review relevant ACT legislation to ensure current arrangements minimise harm from online liquor sales and delivery;
• Establish a supervised injecting service tailored to the ACT.
• Establish a formal ACT alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs peer worker network;
• Explore potential pathways to formal qualifications for alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs peer support work.
Health minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said it builds on the successes of the ACT Drug Strategy Action Plan 2018-2021 and provides direction to further strengthen policies and services.
“The ACT Government has very strong relationships with the alcohol and other drug sector,” Ms Stephen-Smith said. “The ideas and feedback from people with lived experience, advocates, service providers, and families has been key in developing this plan.
“The plan recognises that all stakeholders must work collaboratively to ensure a coordinated approach to service planning and delivery. It also recognises the voices of families, carers, and support workers of people who use drugs and seeks to support their health and wellbeing.
“People who use alcohol, tobacco and other drugs can be significantly disadvantaged. This plan identifies certain population groups who are at higher risk of experiencing disproportionate harms associated with alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.
“The plan includes tailored initiatives that have been developed to support people with complex needs, people in contact with the criminal justice system, and young people who are more susceptible to risky behaviour.”
The ACT Government committed $13 million in the 2022-23 Budget to support the alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs sector and services in the ACT. This is in addition to the $20 million the ACT Government has invested in the previous three years to improve drug and alcohol services for the community.
Chris Gough, Executive Director of the Canberra Alliance for Harm Minimisation and Advocacy (CAHMA), said: “This action plan mirrors the needs seen and felt in the community and provides a plan and pathway to enhance the ACT’s service offering for one of the most marginalised sections of the community, people who use drugs.
“The ACT Drug Strategy Action Plan 2022-2026 reflects input from many different interested stakeholders including those with lived experience. It provides an excellent plan and pathway to strengthen and expand the ACT’s service offering by responding to unmet need while focusing on the treatment of drug and alcohol issues as a health issue and steering people away from criminal justice settings.”
Dr Devin Bowles, CEO of the Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drug Association ACT (ATODA), said: “This Drug Strategy Action Plan builds on the significant, evidence-based policy and clinical reforms undertaken in the ACT over the last several years. ATODA looks forward to continuing to work with the ACT Government and other partners to implement this Action Plan over the coming years.
“We welcome the ACT Government’s continued pivot towards treating alcohol, tobacco and other drugs primarily as a health issue. This will save lives in our community.”
