Meeting the Challenges: Investing in Communities and People

As the Tasmanian alcohol, tobacco and other drugs (ATOD) sector recovers from COVID-19 and readies itself for reform, there are immediate opportunities to make a difference.

The first priority is to respond to the long standing demand for ATOD treatment, support and education delivered by Tasmanian community-managed organisations.

The second priority is to ensure we involve people who use Tasmanian ATOD services in what we do and how we do it.

Tobacco 21

Tasmania has the second highest tobacco usage in the country and the ATDC supports any initiatives that seek to reduce the number of people that smoke.

T21 legislation is a strategy to help prevent and delay the initiation of tobacco product use. The ATDC continues to support the introduction of the Public Health Amendment (Prevention of sale of smoking products to underage persons) Bill 2018.

In providing this support, the ATDC acknowledges that this change will not be the sole remedy for Tasmania’s above-average smoking rates and any initiative must be implemented alongside a suite of evidence-based measures and initiatives, particularly targeting Tasmanians most at risk