National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC)

24/03/2026

“Around half the people who entered incarceration had a history of injecting drug use – one in nine. That’s 50 times higher than the general population."

NDARC's Dr Thomas Santo Jr spoke to The Medical Journal of Australia's InSight+ about two landmark systematic reviews on the epidemiology of injecting drug use and blood-borne viruses in prisons, and the availability of treatments and harm reductions services.

Read more: https://insightplus.mja.com.au/2026/11/prisons-worldwide-failing-to-provide-adequate-health-care-for-blood-borne-disease/

24/03/2026

🚨 Don’t miss NDARC’s Dr Rachel Sutherland present key findings from the 2025 Queensland and national Drug Trends interviews, focusing on patterns of substance use and related behaviours, drug markets and harm reduction efforts, tomorrow.

📅 Wednesday, 25 March
⏲️ 10-11am AEST (Qld time)
📍 Zoom webinar

Drug Trends is a unique, long-standing national monitoring program that includes annual interviews with people across Australia who regularly use drugs. We present key findings from the 2025 Queensland and national interviews, focusing on patterns of substance use and related behaviours, drug market...

24/03/2026

The GHB Cultures Practices and Experiences Study was conducted to inform campaigns and services for sexuality and gender-diverse communities.

Overall, most people in the study reported they enjoy using G, but emphasised the need for education and harm-reduction strategies to manage risk.

View a summary of the results here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxgbGKme0Hc&list=PLztvryak-hI7OpJuIKk9aR_3Fvm041YZX&index=2

National Centre for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs (NCCRED) | ACON | Thorne Harbour Health | Western Australia AIDS Council (WAAC)

The GHB Cultures Practices and Experiences Study was conducted to inform GHB campaigns and services for sexuality and gender diverse communities. Overall, m...

22/03/2026

In 2026, the Drug Trends program celebrates 30 years of monitoring drug use, markets and harms across Australia.

Read more about the program and how it has evolved since it launched in 1996: https://www.unsw.edu.au/research/ndarc/news-events/blogs/2026/02/drug-trends-monitoring-drug-use-markets-harms-australia

19/03/2026

NDARC researcher Dr Mia Miller recently spoke to The Age/The Sydney Morning Herald on the health claims of low-carb beer 🍺

Read more: https://www.smh.com.au/national/are-low-carb-beers-really-better-for-you-it-depends-on-your-health-goal-20260314-p5oagt.html

18/03/2026

Did you miss last week’s NDARC Webinar with Madeleine Powell on the impact of maternal substance-use problems and child protection system contacts on developmental support needs by age five?

📹Watch the recording here: https://www.unsw.edu.au/research/ndarc/resources/maternal-substance-use-problems-child-developmental-outcomes

17/03/2026

NDARC's Prof Don Weatherburn wrote about the illicit to***co market and what authorities can learn from the NSW he**in drought in the early 2000s for The Conversation Australia + NZ.

Read more here ➡️ https://theconversation.com/as-australias-to***co-wars-continue-a-nsw-he**in-drought-in-2000-might-offer-lessons-274537

16/03/2026

📣 New research from Dug Trends🚗Within two national samples of people who regularly use drugs, most participants who used prescribed THC-containing reported driving within three hours of use.

Read the latest bulletin: https://www.unsw.edu.au/research/ndarc/resources/prescribed-cannabis-and-driving-behaviours-national-2025

15/03/2026

For our next webinar, join Professor Kathryn Backholer from Deakin University to learn about alcohol industry marketing to young people on social media.

🗓️ Thursday, 19 March
⏲️ 3pm AEDT
📍 Zoom webinar

Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_s88AR2OxQOWLdAyz8pOiBA

13/03/2026

Last chance! Expressions of interest for new postgraduate research projects at NDARC close at midnight on Sunday, 15 March.

Find out more and apply here: https://www.unsw.edu.au/research/ndarc/research-impact/postgraduate-research/scholarships-at-ndarc/hdr-scholarship-projects

12/03/2026

🚨 Save the Date: 2026 NDARC Annual Research Symposium 🚨

We're thrilled to announce the 2026 NDARC Annual Research Symposium will be held on Friday, 25 September at the Wesley Conference Centre in Sydney.

The Symposium will feature the latest insights and emerging trends in alcohol and other drugs research. Meet experts and colleagues, expand your network, and contribute to NDARC’s mission of a world without alcohol and other drug-related harm.

📅 Friday, 25 September 2026
📍 Wesley Conference Centre, 220 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Stay tuned for more details and subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates!

11/03/2026

Missed last week’s NDARC webinar with Dr Pooja Lagisetty on the findings from "secret shopper" studies on access to care for people on long-term prescription ?

📹Watch the recording here: https://www.unsw.edu.au/research/ndarc/resources/prescriber-willingness-to-manage-prescription-opioids