Drug Free Australia is calling on Australian communities to build a Drug Prevention Supporter Group.

We want every person in the community, no matter what their role, parent, teacher, student, health worker, law enforcement personnel, retirees, to be empowered to have a 'voice' about the need for greater drug prevention measures.

The definition of a Drug Prevention Supporter is:
'an organisation or individual who supports greater emphasis on preventing the use of illicit drugs in Australia. The supporter would also simultaneously support the counselling and treatment of those who have become addicted and/or support initiatives to assist their family members towards an abstinence-based lifestyle in terms of the illicit drugs'.

Prevention includes:

• education programs (school programs, workplace programs, community forums etc that do not include teaching people 'how to use safely').
• greater community awareness, (LGA's projects, Community Partnership Initiatives that have a prevention focus). 
• examples of balanced national, state and local drug prevention policies. 
• law enforcement initiatives that prevent drug use.
  Research clearly shows that most Australians don't want illicit drugs in their lives or in those of their families. For example: *Quantum Research released the results of a national survey (sample = 2000+) asking Australians what they found most socially unacceptable. 

The results show that the vast majority of Australians find illicit drug use and public intoxication socially unacceptable1.

Unfortunately, many people in Australia are experiencing the devastation caused by such drugs, either personally, or through a family member.

“For over 20 years, we have accepted a campaign of ‘Harm Minimisation’, which has neglected prevention. For years, the trends have worsened. Too many people are receiving counselling and treatment that prolongs their drug use, rather than helping them to heal. If this trend continues, the current 1 in 5 Australians suffering mental illness will increase dramatically”, says Drug Free Australia’s Executive Officer, Josephine Baxter.

If you would like to be included as a Drug Prevention Supporter, go to: http://www.drugfree.org.au