The use of drugs, both legal and illegal, has a significant impact on individuals, families and communities in Australia, costing billions in health, crime, lost productivity and road trauma. That says nothing of the personal toll on individuals and the people around them.
Since the mid-1980s, Curtin’s National Drug Research Institute (NDRI) has conducted high quality research aimed at preventing and reducing harmful alcohol and other drug use in Australia.
NDRI’s research has a strong focus on helping vulnerable and disadvantaged groups to prevent and minimise the harm from alcohol and other drugs in their communities, providing early intervention to prevent or delay legal and illegal drug use among young people, and informing and improving drug policy and community responses.
For example, NDRI’s research has recently contributed to: Australian and international alcohol, drug and methamphetamine strategies; evidence-based school interventions; guidelines to reduce alcohol health risks; cannabis regulation policy; and ground-breaking research to find new treatments for ‘ice’ addiction and prevent opioid overdose.
Your support will advance leading evidence-based Australian research that makes a practical difference to social and health outcomes for individuals, their families and the wider community.
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Young people and drug use
Tracking changing trends and educating young Australians through evidence-based programs in schools.
Aboriginal Australians
Partnering with communities to respond to drug use and prevent alcohol-related violence.
Alcohol policy and strategies
Informing policy and regulation to prevent and minimise the harm alcohol causes in our community.
Innovative ways to reduce harm
Research that informs policy and strategies to reduce harm from use of alcohol and other drugs.
The next generation
Investing in PhD researchers so high quality research continues to inform practical responses to drug harm.