Intergovernmental Committee on Drugs
A N N UAL REP O RT
2013 - 2014
NATIONAL DRUG STRATEGY 2010-2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................................2
1.1 OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................3
1.2 NATIONAL DRUG STRATEGY 2010 - 2015................................................................3
1.3 THE NATIONAL DRUG RESEARCH CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE ....................................3
1.4 DRUGS AND ALCOHOL IN AUSTRALIA ....................................................................4
2.1 KEY ACHIEVEMENTS ..............................................................................................6
2.2 MEETINGS .............................................................................................................6
2.3 SUB-STRATEGIES ...................................................................................................7
2.4 IGCD COST SHARED FUNDING MODEL PROJECTS ...................................................8
2.5 FUTURE WORK ......................................................................................................9
APPENDIX A………………………….................................................................................... 10
APPENDIX B… ........................................................................................................... 12
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................. 14
INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE ON DRUGS
2
INTRODUCTION
1.1 OVERVIEW
This annual report provides an overview of the activities undertaken by the
Intergovernmental Committee on Drugs (IGCD) over the period 1 July 2013 to 30 June
2014, under the National Drug Strategy 2010-2015. The information provided in this
report demonstrates the significant work undertaken by health and law enforcement
officials under the National Drug Strategy framework.
1.2 NATIONAL DRUG STRATEGY 2010 - 2015
The National Drug Strategy aims to build safe and healthy communities by
minimising alcohol, tobacco and other drug related health, social and economic harms
among individuals, families and communities.
The National Drug Strategy is a joint venture between Australian, State and Territory
Governments and the non-government sector. It promotes a partnership approach by
providing a shared vision, a structure for coordinated action between government and
the non-government sector, and cooperation between health, law enforcement and
education agencies. The National Drug Strategy aims to minimise the harms of drug use
using a three pillar approach of demand reduction, supply reduction and harm
reduction.
The IGCD reports through the Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Principal Committee
(MHDAPC), which oversees the work of the IGCD and progresses recommendations and
outcomes to relevant Ministers.
1.3 THE NATIONAL DRUG RE SEARCH CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE
Under the National Drug Strategy, the Australian Government provides core funding
to three National Drug Research Centres of Excellence (the Centres). These are the
National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), the National Drug Research
Institute (NDRI) and the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction
(NCETA).
The functions of the Centres are to facilitate evidence based policy development and
community awareness with the overarching aim of reducing the harms associated with
alcohol, tobacco and other drug misuse.
INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE ON DRUGS
3
NDARC is leading the Collaborative Network which provides a forum for regular
discussions on the latest drug and alcohol research with the aim of improving the
interface between policy and research. During this period, the Collaborative network
has developed a new online publication to provide information on what is happening at
each of the national research centres in one central portal and to disseminate new
information on Australia’s drug and alcohol use, related harms, treatments and policies.
1.4 DRUGS AND ALCOHOL IN AUSTRALIA
The use of drugs in the Australian population impacts on individuals, families,
communities and the economy. Each year it contributes to thousands of deaths,
significant illness, disease and injury, social and family disruption, workplace concerns,
violence, crime and community safety.
Alcohol and tobacco remained the most widely used drugs in the Australian
population in 2013 with 15.8% of people in Australia aged 14 years and older using
tobacco and 78.2% consuming alcohol in the past year.
The percentage of the population aged 14 years and older reporting daily smoking in
2013 was 12.8% and this has almost halved since 1991. However, smoking rates have
been historically been reported as much higher among people from low socioeconomic
groups, those who are unemployed, homeless or imprisoned, those with a mental illness
and those with other drug or alcohol dependency. In 2010, smoking rates were higher
in regional and remote areas compared with urban regions, and daily smoking rates for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are almost three times as high as the
national daily smoking rate. Detailed findings from the 2013 National Drug Strategy
Household Survey are scheduled to be released in late 2014.
In 2013, 25.7% of Australians aged 12 and older reported drinking at levels that put
them at risk of injury on a single occasion at least once a month in the past year, and
17.6% reported drinking at levels that put them at risk of harm over their lifetime (AIHW
2014).
In 2013, 15.0% of the population aged 14 years and older had used an illicit
substance in the past year. Cannabis was the most commonly used illicit drug with
10.2% of the population using cannabis in that past 12 months. This was followed by
pain-killers/analgesics for non-medical purposes (3.3%), ecstasy (2.5%),
meth/amphetamine (2.1%) and cocaine (2.1%) (AIHW 2014). While there was no
significant increase in meth/amphetamine use in 2013, there was a change in the main
form of meth/amphetamine used. Use of powder decreased significantly from 51% to
29% while the use of ice (or crystal methamphetamine) more than doubled, from 22% in
2010 to 50% in 2013.
Data from the 2011 Australian School Students Alcohol and Drug Survey show that
use of alcohol by young people has continued to decline slightly. The main driver of this
INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE ON DRUGS
4
trend has been an increase in abstinence by school students aged 12-15 years (21.6% in
2008 to 32.2% in 2011). A small increase in abstinence was also seen for students aged
16-17 years (8.3% in 2008 to 10.7% in 2011). However, for those that drank in the last
week, 37% reported doing so at levels associated with single occasion risk for adults.
The rapid emergence and widespread availability of new psychoactive substances
presents challenges for health regulation and law enforcement in Australia and
overseas. A key challenge remains the ease and speed with which new substances may
emerge which are not captured under drug control legislation.
The non-medical use of pharmaceuticals is an emerging issue. In 2013, 4.7% of
people aged 14 years or older reported having misused a pharmaceutical drug in the
past 12 months, increasing from 4.2% in 2010 (AIHW 2014).
Encouragingly, the overall population use of most drugs has declined over the last
decade or remained stable at low levels in recent years. However, there is some
evidence to suggest that people who are using alcohol and other drugs are experiencing
greater harm. Alcohol-related hospital separations have increased over time from
29,891 in 2001-02 (AIHW 2003) to 61,125 in 2009-10 (AIHW 2010). The number of drug
and alcohol treatment episodes where alcohol is the principal drug of concern has
increased over the past nine years from 41,886 in 2001-02 (AIHW 2003) to 67,450 in
2009-10 (AIHW 2010).
INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE ON DRUGS
5
ACTIVITIES OF THE IGCD 2013-2014
2.1 KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
The IGCD has continued its efforts to reduce the demand for and supply of alcohol
and other drugs, as well as minimising the harms caused by these drugs. Key
achievements of the IGCD for the reporting period have included:

IGCD Annual Stakeholder Forum.

National Workshop on New Psychoactive Substances – July 2013.

The Drug and Alcohol Service Planning Model was finalised – September
2013.

The release of the Pharmaceutical Drug Misuse Framework for Action –
December 2013.

The New Psychoactive Substances Framework was endorsed by the Standing
Council on Health – April 2014.

The release of the updated Pharmacotherapy Guidelines – May 2014.

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Drug Strategy was
endorsed by the Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Principal Committee – May
2014.
2.2 MEETINGS
The IGCD met on 3 occasions during the reporting period:

18 July 2013 – Hobart

6 November 2013 – Adelaide

16 April 2014 – Perth
IGCD heard presentations from the following during these meetings:

Australian National Council on Drugs

Turning Point Alcohol & Drug Centre

University of South Australia
INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE ON DRUGS
6

TNS Australia

National Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Committee
To progress the agenda and work plan of the IGCD, the IGCD Executive held 7
teleconferences during the reporting period.
Stakeholder forum
The third annual IGCD stakeholder forum was held in Adelaide on 7 November 2013.
The forum was attended by 77 representatives from a diverse range of stakeholder
groups. The forum enables the sharing of information and feedback from interest
groups in the drug and alcohol sectors and is one element of the commitment of the
National Drug Strategy.
A summary of the forum is provided at Appendix B.
National workshop on New Psychoactive Substances
In July 2013, a workshop was held in Hobart to discuss a national response to New
Psychoactive Substances. As an outcome of the workshop the New Psychoactive
Substances Framework was completed. The health-related components of the
framework were endorsed by the Standing Council on Health in April 2014.
2.3 SUB-STRATEGIES
In November 2013, the MHDAPC endorsed the termination of the existing working
groups once their respective Sub-Strategies/ Statements of Priorities were completed,
and for them to be replaced with time-limited project teams for specific future tasks.
The seven sub-strategies/ statements of priorities under the National Drug Strategy
2010-2015 include:

Alcohol;

Tobacco;

Illicit Drugs;

Pharmaceutical Drugs Misuse;

Research and Data;

Workforce Development; and

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Drug Strategy.
INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE ON DRUGS
7
2.4 IGCD COST SHARED FUN DING MODEL PROJECTS
The IGCD Cost Shared Funding Model (CSFM) is used to fund projects of national
significance in the drug and alcohol field. Each State and Territory, as well as the
Australian and New Zealand Governments, participate in the IGCD CSFM, contributing a
proportion of funding based upon the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics population
figures. No contributions were sought for this reporting period due to existing funds
available to utilise.
In 2013–2014 the following CSFM projects were active:

Updating of the Pharmacotherapy National Clinical Guidelines for
Medication-Assisted Treatment of Opioid Dependence – approved by SCoH
and released May 2014.

The development of a nationally agreed population based model for drug
and alcohol services planning – finalised and noted by AHMAC September
2013.

The development of the Pharmaceutical Drug Misuse Framework for Action –
approved for release by SCoH December 2013.

National measures of alcohol-related crime in Australia.

Opioid Substitution Treatment Pharmacotherapies – Analysis of current
arrangements and possible changes.

Increased forensic capability on Novel Psychoactive Substances.

National Pharmaceutical Drug Misuse Framework for Action –
implementation project.

Research into alternative nicotine delivery systems such as e-cigarettes and
smokeless tobacco.

Progress work on an Indigenous adaption to the National Drug and Alcohol
Service Model.
INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE ON DRUGS
8
2.5 FUTURE WORK
The IGCD 2014/15 workplan has identified the following priority areas for action:

Development of the next National Drug strategy

Alcohol-related injury, violence and harms

Preventing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and reducing alcohol consumption
during pregnancy

Responding to changing patterns of alcohol advertising, promotion and
sponsorship activity and changing patterns and trends in alcohol access and
availability

Implementation of the New Psychoactive Substances Framework

Responding to increasing overdose trends

Development of a reporting framework and baseline report to inform reporting
of the outcome indicators under Part Seven of the National Tobacco Strategy
2010-18

Methamphetamine Use
INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE ON DRUGS
9
Appendix A: IGCD membership 2013 - 2014
IGCD Member
Jurisdiction
Neil Guard* (Chair from 1
January 2014)
Drug and Alcohol Office, Western Australia
Brett Guerin (Former Chair to
31 December 2013)
Victoria Police
Dean Miller * (Deputy Chair)
South Australia Police
Colleen Krestensen *
Australian Government Department of Health
Nic Arthur
Australian Customs and Border Protection Services
Anthony Coles*
Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department
Kate Waterhouse
Australian Government Department of Education
Patrick Paroz
New South Wales Police
Fiona Wynn*
New South Wales Ministry of Health
Judith Abbott
Victorian Department of Health
Timothy Hansen
Victorian Police
William Kingswell
Queensland Health
Bill Graham*
Queensland Police
Gary Kirby
Western Australia Health
James Migro
Western Australian Police
Simone Cormack
Drug and Alcohol Services, South Australia
Sylvia Engels
Tasmania Health
Donna Adams
Tasmania Police
Deirdre Logie
Department of Health, Northern Territory
Tony Fuller
Northern Territory Police
Helene Delany*
ACT Health Directorate
David Pryce*
ACT Policing
Oliver Poppelwell
Ministry of Health, New Zealand
INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE ON DRUGS
10
Carolyn Read
New Zealand Police
* Membership on the IGCD Executive committee.
The Australian Crime Commission and the Australian National Preventive Health Agency both
have observer status on the IGCD. The IGCD Secretariat is provided by the Commonwealth
Department of Health.
The Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) has a standing invitation to present at IGCD
meetings on recent activities. The National Drug strategy recognises the important relationship
between the ANCD and the IGCD.
INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE ON DRUGS
11
Appendix B: IGCD Stakeholder Forum Summary
INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE ON DRUGS (IGCD)
STAKEHOLDER FORUM 7 NOVEMBER 2013
The Third IGCD Stakeholder Forum was held in Adelaide on 7 November 2013 at the
Hotel Grand Chancellor, with 77 attendees from a range of interest and backgrounds
including service providers, peak organisations, consumers, industry and government
representatives.
The purpose of this event is to provide an opportunity for those with a role under the
National Drug Strategy to come together and share information and identify priorities
and opportunities.
The Forum was opened by a Welcome to Country to delegates by Ms Issabella Norvil
and was facilitated by Professor Steve Allsop of the National Drug Research Institute.
An update of the progress made under the National Drug Strategy over the previous 12
months was provided by Superintendent Brett Guerin, retiring Chair of the IGCD. His
update included a summary of the work around New Psychoactive Substances, the
significant progress on the Workforce Development Strategy, and the National
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Drug Strategy.
A number of presentations from experts were provided this year, including Professor Dan
Lubman (of Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre), Professor Michael Farrell (on
behalf of the three Alcohol and Other Drug Research Centres of Excellence), and
Professor Margaret Hamilton AO and Assoc. Professor Robert Ali (on behalf of the
Australian National Council on Drugs).
Following these formal presentations, the format of the Forum shifted to a more open and
free-flowing format, with attendees encouraged to take the lead in identifying the issues
for discussion and participate in a series of facilitated discussions. Through these
sessions, a number of policy priorities, opportunities and challenges, success stories and
updates on progress of work were identified, including:



Ensuring appropriate information is provided to the community on the harms of
alcohol and other drugs, including new and emerging trends, dangers and
substances;
Providing increased opportunities for real and meaningful engagement and
consultation for consumers and the alcohol and other drug sector;
Recent success in tackling tobacco in Australia highlighted that difficult decisions
can be taken when the community is well-informed and supportive;
INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE ON DRUGS
12





The importance of building two-way dialogue between research and service
delivery to ensure interventions are evidence-based and that research targets areas
where there are gaps in best-practice interventions;
Maintaining strong partnerships and information exchange across and between
governments, the non-government sector and treatment services and providers;
Recognising that demand for illicit drugs and the associated harms, particularly
for methamphetamine, remain a key concern for IGCD and the community.
The importance of ensuring a high quality alcohol and other drug workforce is
retained; and
Some of the barriers for people being able to access effective treatment options,
including the issue of stigma.
IGCD committed to bringing a summary of the views expressed at the forum to the
Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol Principal Committee for ongoing consideration in
future work-planning.
In closing the forum, Superintendent Brett Guerin indicated a desire to see the Forum
continue to evolve and become stronger, flagging that it may be appropriate for future
Forums to be reframed as “National Drug Strategy” Consultation Forums, highlighting
the joint ownership of all stakeholders in the National Drug Strategy.
The feedback received on the Forum this year indicated that participants found the
discussions useful and productive.
The IGCD would like to thank all those who participated and provided input to the
Forum.
INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE ON DRUGS
13
References
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2011. 2010 National Drug Strategy
Household Survey report. Drug statistics series no. 25. Cat. no. PHE 145. Canberra:
AIHW.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2003. Alcohol and other drug
treatment services in Australia 2001-02: report on the national minimum data set. AIHW
cat. No. HSE 28. Canberra: AIHW.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2010. Alcohol and other drug
treatment services in Australia 2008-09: report on the national minimum data set. Drug
treatment series no. 10. Cat no. HSE 92. Canberra: AIHW.
Cancer Council Victoria (CCV) 2012. Australian secondary school students use of
tobacco, alcohol and over the counter and illicit substances in 2011. Centre for
Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria.
INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE ON DRUGS
14