National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC)

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

Drugs on the darknet: Assessing the global health risks of a rapidly expanding market

Buying illegal drugs through the internet captured the public imagination after the emergence of Silk Road in 2011. Silk Road, and its successors that followed, provides a means to purchase illicit drugs online and have them delivered via parcel post.

These online markets are known as ‘cryptomarkets’ because they rely upon encryption technologies: anonymising networks (Tor) and virtual currencies (Bitcoin). Relatively high rates of participation in cryptomarkets have been reported in Australia.

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The Difference is Research

KEY PROJECTS

Adding an electronic-cigarette to standard behavioural treatment for low-socioeconomic status smokers: A randomised trial

Smoking is a leading cause of preventable disease and death. Limited progress has occurred in reducing smoking rates over the past decade for the most disadvantaged Australians (2001 = 24%, 2013 = 21%) despite a two-fold reduction in smoking prevalence among the most advantaged Australians (2001 =...

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A multiple health behaviour approach to prevent common and emerging risk factors for chronic

The overall aim is to evaluate the efficacy of the Climate Schools: Healthy Lifestyles program, the first online program to simultaneously target the Big 6 risk factors among adolescents.

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Cannabis and cannabinoids for medicinal purposes: Reviewing the evidence

This project will review the evidence for the medicinal use of cannabis and cannabinoid products for a number of key medical conditions. We will examine the evidence base for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) in particular, alone or in combination, in the major conditions for...

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Evaluation of the Supporting pregnant women who use alcohol or other drugs

Substance use among pregnant women is a significant public health issue. A range of adverse effects have been noted including increased risk of miscarriage and still birth, reduction in fetal growth, birth defects, developmental delay, growth retardation and neurological abnormalities. To date work...

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A randomised controlled study of health intervention "SNAP" in Northern Territory prisons

The Northern Territory prison population comprises 92% Indigenous Australians and 88% smokers. The NT prison-smoking ban creates a population-wide abstinence. We aim to extend this period of abstinence into the community.

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Reducing stigma and discrimination for people who use alcohol and other drugs

This project, commissioned by the Queensland Mental Health Commission, aims to identify effective ways of reducing stigma and discrimination which has a negative impact on the mental health and wellbeing of Queenslanders experiencing problematic alcohol and other drug use. Specifically the research...

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An evaluation of the New South Wales Involuntary Drug and Alcohol Treatment (IDAT) Program

The IDAT Program, established under the Drug and Alcohol Treatment Act 2007 of New South Wales, aims to “provide short-term care, with an involuntary supervised withdrawal component, to protect the health and safety of people with severe substance dependence who have experienced, or are at risk of...

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Published Research

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

KEY PROJECTS