Drugs & Alcohol
Information about drug and alcohol awareness, testing, and harm reduction in Australian workplaces and communities.
Drugs & Alcohol Articles
The Frontline of Change: Our Partnership with Fire Rescue Victoria
Between May and December 2025, ADA Australia hit the road to meet the crews of Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV)...
Cocaine… it’s alright isn’t it?
A night out with mates, getting drunk and buying “a bag” may seem socially acceptable to some, the associated risks are often not considered. Why would it be? It’s just a little fun right?
Dry July: Giving Your Liver A Break (And Raising Money For Cancer)
While Dry July is centred on helping others, by getting on board you’re also helping yourself. A whole month ‘breather’ for the liver, a chance to wash out all those alcohol-related toxins…
Patrick Terminals – “Getting Conversations Going” Around AOD Risk
Since the beginning of May, ADA Australia has rolled out a number of drug and alcohol awareness training sessions for around 80 Patrick Terminals employees, with more sessions to be completed...
Getting The Mental Health Conversation Going - Star Group
Workplaces are recognising the risks – and their obligations – around ‘mental injury’ (psychosocial risk) at work. The Star Group takes this very seriously...
UGL – Safety Conversations For A Positive Work Culture
The ADA Australia team recently ran toolbox talks to some UGL sites in Victoria and Queensland - talking about workplace risk and health challenges around substance use, and misuse.
Opal: Building A Positive Culture Around A Compliant Drugs And Alcohol Policy
The ADA Australia facilitation team recently completed a series of Drug and Alcohol Awareness Training sessions for people leaders at Opal, one of Australasia’s leading packaging companies...
Vaping: The Dangers
Bold fruity flavours like blueberry. At face value, these flavours don’t exactly sound life-threatening, do they? Which is exactly what companies making and marketing vape products want you to think.
Training ‘People Leaders’ In The North East Link Project
The ADA Australia facilitation team recently visited the North East Link Project to conduct our drug and alcohol awareness program.
ADA Australia – Working With Toyota Material Handling Australia in 2023
Apprentices with Toyota Material Handling Australia (TMHA) from all over Australia have recently participated in ADA Australia’s BEST LIFE, BEST WORK Apprenticeship Development Program...
Drug And Alcohol Awareness Training: Why It Matters
The ADA Australia facilitation team recently visited Patrick Terminals to conduct our flagship Drug and Alcohol awareness training program...
AEN Field Officers And ADA Australia’s 'BEST LIFE, BEST WORK' Apprentice Training
ADA Australia delivered our BEST LIFE: BEST WORK apprentice training to Field Officers with the Apprenticeship Employment Network (AEN), Victoria’s largest apprentice and trainee employer network...
ADA AUSTRALIA’S SCHOOLS’ TRAINING PROGRAMS
ADA Australia conducts alcohol and drug awareness programs with a number of secondary schools, providing alcohol and drug awareness training for students from years 8 to 12...
Walking The Talk On Workplace Wellbeing - Orora Group
ADA Australia has been providing training to Orora people leaders to promote better understanding of drugs and alcohol on both physical and mental wellbeing and on the workplace...
Gambling: a new addition to ADA’s Best Life: Best Work Apprentice Program
Hitting up the casino... or dropping 100 bucks into the Sportsbet account for the weekend… gambling is an imbedded part of Australian culture, and it’s everywhere...
ADA Australia at the NAEN conference
Recently, the ADA team attended the National Apprentice Employment Network (NAEN) conference at Marvel Stadium...
ADA Australia’s ‘Well Connect’ App: 24/7 Support (In Your Pocket)
ADA Australia is proud to announce that its new ‘Well Connect’ app is launched, and now available to all ADA Australia clients...
ADA Now Offering Accredited Mental Health First Aid Training
ADA Australia is pleased to announce that we will now be offering accredited 12-hour Standard Mental Health First Aid (MFHA) training, alongside our current range of courses...
Talking 'Mental Health' With Our Sporting Clubs
For many of us... our first experiences of camaraderie, passion and teamwork are on the sporting field... Unfortunately, we do see some sporting clubs adopt a toxic culture... around mental health
ADA AUSTRALIA Working With Electrogroup Apprentices
The ADA facilitation team recently travelled to Queensland to deliver the first of many BEST LIFE: BEST WORK Apprenticeship Development Programs for Electrogroup.
'It’s in our control to end coercive control’
Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month is held to raise community awareness around domestic and family violence, and its broader impact on people, on families and on communities.
International Firefighters Day (IFFD) – recognising risks to ‘first responders’
Today, we recognise International Firefighters Day (IFFD) and the brave firefighters all over the world who dedicate their careers and lives to protecting the community...
World Day For Safety And Health At Work – Doing Something Positive
Today, on World Day for Safety and Health at Work (and Worker’s Memorial Day) we are provided with an opportunity to recognise the importance of safe and healthy working environments...
Apprenticeship Development Training at The Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre
We are pleased to announce that we will be delivering our BEST LIFE: BEST WORK Apprenticeship Development program over the course of the year ahead to plumbing industry apprentices...
Getting those drinking habits in check over the Christmas break
The silly season is almost here. With it comes a well-earned break; time to relax and to de-stress from the year that was. But beware the risks in “letting the hair down”...
The simple benefits in a ‘mental health’ toolbox talk
Let’s face it, our work worries should not follow us home and into our lives after work. Work should not ‘bust our brains’.
Toyota Material Handling Apprenticeship Development Day roll-out
Over the past few weeks, we have been in Sydney and Brisbane (and in Adelaide next week) for the Toyota Material Handling National Apprenticeship Development Day roll-out...
Will you go Dry this July?
Going alcohol-free in this month (or any month), brings a whole lot of health benefits. A whole month ‘breather’ for the liver...
New additions to the ADA Worker Wellbeing Hub
ADA Australia is pleased to announce a brand new range of five-minute videos which are now appearing on the ADA Worker Wellbeing Hub.
ADA at Oxygen Youth Space
ADA Australia’s facilitation team recently visited the Oxygen Youth Space at Moreland City Council, to provide training and education for their team of youth workers.
ADA Australia's Apprenticeship Development Day
ADA Australia’s Apprenticeship Development Days for 2022, being conducted at ETU Victoria’s Centre For U, are now well underway.
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training for ADA staff
Recently, five members of the ADA family, from both the Friendly Ear Support Services team and the training/facilitating team, completed the LivingWorks Australia ASIST program.
Taking the Conversation into Schools
ADA Australia’s facilitation team recently visited Donvale Christian College to provide training and education around drugs and alcohol for Years 10 and 11 students.
Too Young, So Much Promise: Why Are We Losing People Like Harley Balic?
Last week, I heard some deeply unsettling news. Harley Balic, a young guy I played junior football against, had lost his life at the age of 25.
Planning a Christmas break-up?
Here’s a thought: why not make ‘the festive season’ a time to think about your drug and alcohol policy and the culture around drinking and respect in your workplace?
‘Back to work’ and those COVID-19 drinking habits: Time for a reset and rethink?
Among the unwelcome ‘by-products’ of extended lockdowns and the pandemic has been the alarming spike in alcohol and drug use among Australians, young Australians in particular.
World Homeless Day 2021: A Human Rights Concern
A bed to sleep in, a hot shower and a home cooked meal. For many of us, these everyday luxuries are taken for granted... So, what can we do to make a difference?
Sober October: An opportunity to ‘take stock’
Dry January, Dry July and now Sober October - going alcohol-free for the month is catching on. So why not give it a shot?
International Overdose Awareness Day: It’s time to stop the preventable
The driving force behind the campaign is to raise awareness of overdoses, to remember those lost, and to reduce stigma surrounding overdose deaths.
Dry July: Doing your bit to help
Although many believe that having a few drinks is a part of the Australian culture, we need to remember the simple facts. Alcohol in large doses is toxic...
Darren: Everyone has a story and this is mine
It’s a story of a struggle with mental health disorder and addiction and of its impact on my life.
ADA Australia working with the ETU
ADA Australia’s alcohol and drug awareness training programs, with a range of associated services, is now being delivered to ETU members and their families; some hundreds have now gone through...
Dealing with drug or alcohol impaired customers or visitors
For people working in customer service, in front counter or sales roles, the likelihood is high that they will encounter or be engaged in interactions with drug or alcohol-impaired customers...
ADA Australia: Drugs and alcohol awareness training for sporting clubs
A young footballer and a positive drug test? We can hardly claim to be shocked or surprised (without blushing to the roots of our hairs)...
ADA Australia: Submission to the National Treatment Framework
Alcohol and Drug Awareness Australia was invited to provide input to the draft National Treatment Framework (NTF), being developed by UNSW Social Policy Research Centre...
Hunky Dory: “Business has a part to play in tackling drugs and alcohol"
The Flinders University report recognised that workplaces were “largely overlooked” as places to influence behaviours and to effect cultural change around the misuse of alcohol (and drugs)...
ADA Australia: A Handbook of Alcohol, Drugs and Workplace Risk - Now Available
ADA Australia has released its new training guide – A HANDBOOK OF ALCOHOL, DRUGS AND WORKPLACE RISK...
ADA Australia: Alcohol, Drugs and Family Violence
Australian research into the scourge of family violence shows a strong causal link between the misuse of alcohol and drugs, and violence committed against partners and other family members...
Pharmaceuticals: The killer drugs we too easily ignore
According to the Victorian Coroner (Victorian Overdose Deaths, J Dwyer, C Miller, 2017), pharmaceutical drugs contribute in an astonishing 81 percent of overdose deaths in that state...
ADA Australia: Tips to help you manage your drinking
If you’ve drunk too much, there is no quick-fix to sobering-up...