{"id":7210,"date":"2025-11-17T14:33:08","date_gmt":"2025-11-17T03:33:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/?page_id=7210"},"modified":"2026-01-06T15:17:58","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T04:17:58","slug":"no-brainer-teachers-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/no-brainer-teachers-2\/","title":{"rendered":"No Brainer (Teachers)"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u201cThe Dalgarno Institute\u2019s Humpty Dumpty Dilemma, AOD Education presentation was on point. They didn\u2019t pull any punches in delivering a message that was powerful and persuasive, talking about the attitudes towards drug and alcohol use. They used real life examples of the impact of drugs and alcohol on people\u2019s lives and didn\u2019t shy away from challenging stereotypes, cultures and individuals.  To hold the attention of a room full of teenagers is quite a feat and he made it look easy. <\/em><\/p>\nComments and conversations with teaching staff after the seminar also affirmed the success of the presentation, with one teacher actually saying he not only valued the presentation, but also did not expect the positive response from the students, considering they were \u2018pulled\u2019 from other classes they wanted to attend.\u201d<\/em>
\n<\/p>Michael Walker, Chaplain. 
\nKerang Technical High School\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThank you for coming to Berengarra and delivering your \u201cNo Brainer\u201d program. You made a special effort to accommodate the needs of our students and timetable and this was very much appreciated.  The presenter was engaging and enthusiastic, and kept the attention of all the students and staff for 90 minutes. The presentation including the PowerPoint and music and were of a very high quality. The presentation was a great mix imagery, personal stories, facts and statistics that kept the attention of all of our year 8, 9 and 10 students.<\/em><\/p>\nStaff commented on how well the presentation was delivered and received, and would like to work with the Dalgarno institute in the future.<\/em>
\n<\/p>Claire McIntyre - Student Counsellor
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWe were all very impressed with the way the Dalgarno Institute NO Brainer Presentations captivated the student\u2019s attention over the 90 minute sessions, including cohorts from year 9 and 12\u2026The talks are vibrant and the use of inclusive teaching strategies is commendable<\/em><\/p>\nThe presentations helped many of our students consider their decisions about drugs and the social situations that they may encounter involving drugs.<\/em><\/p>\nMany students approach staff after the seminars expressing their appreciation of having been given the opportunity of hearing your message. Several students had also sought teachers\u2019 advice with concerns about their own experiences with drugs as a result of the presentations. <\/em>
\n<\/p>Ruth Burton \u2013 Coordinator, Health 
\nPaul Wilson \u2013 Principal Golden 
\nGrove High School (Adelaide)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Demand Reduction – Priority One\u00a0 (Best Practice \u2013 Deny\/Delay Uptake!<\/a>)<\/em><\/h3>

We express deep concern at the high price paid by society and by individuals and their families as a result of the world drug problem, and pay special tribute to those who have sacrificed their lives and those who dedicate themselves to addressing and countering the world drug problem\u2026<\/em><\/p>

We commit to safeguarding our future and ensuring that no one affected by the world drug problem is left behind by enhancing our efforts to bridge the gaps in addressing the persistent and emerging trends and challenges through the implementation of balanced, integrated, comprehensive, multidisciplinary and scientific evidence-based responses to the world drug problem,\u00a0placing the safety, health and well-being of all members of society,\u00a0in particular our youth and children, at the centre of our efforts<\/strong><\/em>\u2026\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

UNODC \u2013 Commission On Narcotic Drugs \u2013 Vienna: 2019 Ministerial Declaration\u00a0<\/strong>(page 3 & 5)<\/p>

Families and\u00a0particularly children<\/em>, should never, ever be casualties of drug use, by anyone.\u00a0<\/p>

It certainly is a gross injustice and heinous social irresponsibility to have policies that increase demand for, and\/or access to, illicit drugs which facilitate the costly harms not easily repaired.\u00a0<\/p>

The mantra that we\u00a0\u2018cannot arrest our way out of the drug problem\u2019\u00a0<\/em>is true. However, we also understand that we most definitely will not be able to\u00a0\u2018treat our way out of the drug problem\u2019\u00a0<\/em>either.\u00a0<\/p>

There must be a health, education and legal approach, working in concert and that focuses on demand reduction, prevention and recovery from drug use. This journey approach that properly harnesses the three pillars of the National Drug Strategy \u2013\u00a0Demand Reduction \u2013 Supply Reduction \u2013 Harm Reduction<\/em>, for the purpose of helping build a resilient culture that doesn\u2019t need or want drugs, will see the healthy, productive and safe culture the United Nations Office of Drugs & Crime, and the World Health Organisation are pursuing. \u00a0<\/p>

#demandreduction<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

‘There is no credible voice in the literature that promotes or defends early uptake of alcohol or other drugs, as there is no safe drug use at all, of any drug, for the developing brain 0-26\/32 years of age. And whilst not using any drug is not the only option, it is\u00a0the best practice option\u00a0for this vital stage of development of the young. As proactive and protective agents of children\u2019s development we seek to afford and\/or provide all children, their parents, care-givers or significant others, with as many\u00a0best practice delaying\/denying uptake mechanisms<\/a>, vehicles and options as possible \u2013\u00a0Health Care Professionals and Families Must Focus on Youth Substance Use Prevention<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>

Individuals, groups and\/or organisations that seek to permit, promote or otherwise enable young people to engage with psychotropic toxins at this vulnerable stage are not only denying best health practice, but are also contravening United Nations Conventions and Guidelines.<\/em><\/p>

United Nations Economic and Social Council: Commission on Narcotic Drugs \u2013 Fifty-ninth session Vienna, March 2016:\u00a0Operational recommendations on demand reduction and related measures, including prevention and treatment, as well as other health-related issues<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>(p 5.)<\/p>

We reiterate our commitment to promote the health, welfare and well-being of all individuals, families, communities and society as a whole, and facilitate healthy lifestyles through effective, comprehensive, scientific evidence-based demand reduction initiatives at all levels, covering, in accordance with national legislation and the three international drug control conventions, prevention, early intervention, treatment, care, recovery, rehabilitation and social reintegration measures, as well as initiatives and measures aimed at minimizing the adverse public health and social consequences of drug abuse, and we recommend the following measures:<\/p>

Prevention of drug abuse<\/em><\/p>

  1. Take effective and practical primary prevention measures that protect people, in particular children and youth, from drug use initiation by providing them with accurate information about the risks of drug abuse, by promoting skills and opportunities to choose healthy lifestyles and develop supportive parenting and healthy social environments and by ensuring equal access to education and vocational training;<\/li>
  2. Also take effective and practical measures to prevent progression to severe drug use disorders through appropriately targeted early interventions for people at risk of such progression;<\/li>
  3. Increase the availability, coverage and quality of scientific evidence-based prevention measures and tools that target relevant age and risk groups in multiple settings, reaching youth in school as well as out of school, among others, through drug abuse prevention programmes and public awareness-raising campaigns, including by using the Internet, social media and other online platforms, develop and implement prevention curricula and early intervention programmes for use in the education system at all levels, as well as in vocational training, including in the workplace, and enhance the capacity of teachers and other relevant professionals to provide or recommend counselling, prevention and care services;\u00a0(UNGASS \u2013 2016)<\/a><\/li><\/ol>

    University of Queensland drugs expert Jake Najman said information given to students on drugs should not be a \u201chalf an hour school lesson\u201d. Professor Najman said governments needed to invest in developing intensive, long-term drug education for students. \u201cIt\u2019s a much more systematic problem that needs real commitment and not just a headline saying, \u2018Don\u2019t do it\u2019,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>

    23 February 2018, Brisbane Times<\/p>

    We couldn\u2019t agree more; that\u2019s why we had developed our \u2018all of school\u2019 incursions and curriculum, along with our \u2018all of community\u2019 education seminars \u2013 including sporting clubs, parents, community leaders and policy makers! Changing the cultural narrative on drug use is a long game, in which the Dalgarno Institute has been a key stakeholder for over 150 years. Our consistent demand reduction and proactive prevention messaging and resources, have been effective in doing just that, when fully engaged by the community.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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    Prevention & Demand Reduction \u2013 An all of Community Approach<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    The Dalgarno Institute has long advocated for an anthropological approach to the cultural \u2018symptom\u2019 of substance use. Drug use invariably causes (at the very least) some level of harm to both the drug user (their health and well-being) or that of their family and community. On an ever-growing number of occasions, drug use creates a veritable maelstrom of disturbing outcomes and harms \u2013 most of which cannot be \u2018reduced\u2019, despite the claims of pro-drug advocates. Prevention (denying and\/or delaying substance uptake) is the only<\/em><\/strong> best-practice for the developing brain demographic.<\/p>\n

    This is one of the core reasons why our long standing (but relatively small grass-roots movement) has always sought to look \u2018behind\u2019 the noise of drug use and its outcomes to origins, motivators and initiates.<\/a> Anthropologically sound proactive and protective elements have always been part of our community education mechanisms<\/a>, very much including the understanding of a consistent culture shaping Journey of resiliency building principles, values and relationships with young people and their immediate socialisation contexts.<\/p>\n

    Engaging All of community \u2013 All of the family \u2013 with one focus, one message and one voice of deny and\/or delaying uptake<\/a><\/em><\/strong>. Our perception of reality is constructed socially, and that is done through recency, frequency, proximity and intensity. What the young person is immersed in familial and culturally will shape the development of the emerging citizen.<\/a> So, it is imperative that what focus, message and voice our young people are exposed to on drug use does not create cognitive dissonance or deliver contradictory messaging and modelling in the public square.  Any confusion in this space only diminishes the protective factors of the message. We do not have such cognitive dissonance around tobacco use on our culture, and subsequently demand for cigarettes has plummeted.  All messaging must enable, equip and empower the emerging generation to have greater capacity to develop their humanity, agency and dignity without the drug use, that only undermines these imperatives.<\/p>\n

    Iceland too understood much of this, and not only the value of the preventative \u2018all of community\u2019 approach, but the need for a disciplined, sustained and uncompromised implementation of strategies be bought to bear. (Again much like our successful \u2018war on tobacco\u2019) The outcomes, as we already understand from other historical models of \u2018all of community\u2019 shaping mechanisms works.<\/p>\n

    The following is a link to the overview of this model, which is based in sound anthropological, not merely sociological principles \u2013 including Sustainable worldview, meaning, purpose, values and relationships \u2013 All things that keep Humpty Dumpty from and unnecessary fragility and self-sabotaging risks.<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

    https:\/\/planetyouth.org\/the-core-elements\/<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    Drug use among youth: National survey data support a common liability of all drug use<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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    Robert L. DuPont,\u204e, Beth Hanb, Corinne L. Sheaa, Bertha K. Madrasc,d<\/p>

    a Institute for Behavior and Health, Inc., 6191 Executive Blvd, Rockville, MD 20852, USA\u00a0<\/em><\/p>

    b Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852, USA\u00a0<\/em><\/p>

    c McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478, USA<\/em><\/p>

    d Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA\u00a0<\/em><\/p>

    Abstract:\u00a0The prevalence of substance use disorders in adults is higher if substance use is initiated during adolescence, underscoring the importance of youth substance use prevention. We examined whether the use of one substance by adolescents is associated with increased risk for using any other substance, regardless of use sequences. In 2017 we examined data from 17,000 youth aged 12\u201317 who participated in the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a sample of nationally representative data on substance use among the U.S. civilian, noninstitutionalized population aged 12 or older. Descriptive analyses and multivariable logistic regression models were applied. After controlling for age, sex, and race\/ethnicity, compared with youth without past-month marijuana use, youth with past-month marijuana use were 8.9 times more likely to report past-month cigarette use, 5.6, 7.9 and 15.8 times more likely to report past-month alcohol use, binge use, or heavy use (respectively), and 9.9 times more likely to report past-month use of other illicit drugs.<\/p>

    The prevalence of past-month use of cigarettes, marijuana, and other illicit drugs was significantly higher among past-month alcohol users compared with youth without past-month alcohol use, and increased as intensity of alcohol use rose. Among past-month cigarette smokers, the prevalence of marijuana, other illicit drugs, and alcohol use were each significantly higher than youth without past-month cigarette use. Youth marijuana use, cigarette smoking, or alcohol consumption is associated with other substance use.<\/p>

    This finding has importance for youth prevention, supporting a message no use by youth of any substance.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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