addiction
Government will never legalise ice: Fiona Nash
The Australian Government will never legalise ice, Assistant Minister for Health Fiona Nash has announced following calls to legalise the drug. “Ice typically contains poisons,” Nash said in a statement …
Pharmacists at the forefront of new QUIT4october pilot
Pharmacists are being placed front and centre of QUIT4october, a new Lung Foundation Australia pilot smoking cessation and social media initiative launched this month. Throughout September, Lung Foundation Australia will …
AMA updates position on methamphetamine problem
The AMA wants better resources, including security, and health services to deal with the methamphetamine or “ice” epidemic. The AMA has released its updated Position Statement on Methamphetamine (2015), which …
Tobacco tax increase helps reduce harms of smoking
A tobacco tax increase taking effect today has been welcomed by health stakeholders. Quit Victoria Director Dr Sarah White says regular price increases for cigarettes are the single most effective …
Research finds ice advertising campaign is working
Independent research into the results of the Coalition Government’s ice advertising has praised the campaign. Speaking ahead of the launch of the second instalment of the ads onto TV and …
Opioid prescription meds among most over-prescribed: RACP
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians is calling for greater awareness of the over-prescribing of opioid prescription medication for pain. RACP President, Laureate Professor Nick Talley, says opioids are now …
Doctors demand action on alcohol harms
Ahead of Federal Parliament resuming next week, the AMA is calling on the Government to renew its focus on addressing the many ways that the misuse of alcohol is causing …
Clinical tips: counselling the codeine-seeking patient
Treating patients with chronic pain can be a complex, long-term relationship, especially if codeine is involved, writes Karalyn Huxhagen. Like all community pharmacists, I kick myself when I fall for …
Clinical tips: treating addiction explained
Helping treat and manage addiction through pharmacotherapy is part of a complex process, write Dr Esther Lau and Professor Lisa Nissen, from the School of Clinical Sciences, Queensland University of …
What do codeine shoppers really need?
There has been a lot of discussion by pharmacists in recent times about surveillance of codeine shoppers, writes 2010 PSA Pharmacist of the Year Karalyn Huxhagen. Codeine seeking behaviour is …
ASMI welcomes Vic real-time monitoring
The Australian Self Medication Industry today welcomed the Victorian Government’s commitment of $300,000 for planning and development of a real-time prescription monitoring system to help reduce the inappropriate use of …
Consumers need codeine access
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia has welcomed comments made by the Federal Minister for Health, Sussan Ley, acknowledging and supporting the skills of pharmacists to effectively and safely manage the …