The Centre of Research Excellence in Mental Health Systems Improvement (CREMSI) was funded in 2012 by the National Health and Medical Research Council and is led by the University of Queensland.
Treatment admissions for cannabis use disorders have risen considerably over the last few years, globally and within Australia. There is currently no effective pharmacotherapy for cannabis dependence, and very low abstinence rates reported from psychotherapy alone.
Indigenous Australians experience a disproportionately high burden of alcohol-related harm relative to non-Indigenous Australians. These alcohol-related harms are typically cumulative, extending beyond the individual to the family and community.
Socioeconomically disadvantaged groups are more likely to smoke than other sectors of the community. This difference has been attributed, in part, to increased rates of relapse. Relapse is strongly and consistently predicted by financial stress.
The project aims to investigate the opinions of young Australians about how the government and community should respond towards drug and alcohol use.
Researchers, health professionals, consumer groups and advocates in the field have repeatedly called for widespread availability of naloxone for people who inject drugs and potential overdose witnesses, to reduce the incidence of fatal overdose.
Heroin use and associated harms can be reduced through effective treatment. Past research has shown that treatment for heroin dependence can be relatively cost-effective, but not whether heroin treatment overall is a good investment.
There has been a recent increase in the prescribing of pharmaceutical opioids to Chronic Non-Cancer Pain (CNCP) patients in Australia which has led to increasing professional and public concern about the use and harms that may be related to such use.
NIDIP was established in the recognition that there was a greater need for the regular dissemination of trends in the epidemiology of drug-related harms in Australia.
There are growing efforts by pharmaceutical companies to develop opioid formulations that are less prone to misuse (particularly injection), dependence and diversion to illicit markets.
