Victoria’s plan to reduce the alcohol and drug toll

25 January 2013

Minister for Mental Health Mary Wooldridge has released Victoria’s first strategy to reduce the impact of alcohol and drug abuse in the Victorian community.

Launching Reducing the alcohol and drug toll: Victoria’s plan 2013-2017, Minister Wooldridge said the plan provided a new agenda to improve the way police, courts, schools, hospitals, health and community services and the broader community work together to bring down the alcohol and drug toll.

The 15-point plan provides a comprehensive response to the three major drug types: alcohol, pharmaceutical drugs and illegal drugs.

It includes a new partnership with VicHealth to develop and deliver a cultural change program to promote healthier attitudes to excessive drinking and drunken behaviour in the community.

“It also includes measures to effectively regulate alcohol supply with strengthened reforms to liquor licensing laws,” Ms Wooldridge said.

The plan includes actions to protect the community from illegal drugs by disrupting the supply of these drugs through targeting large-scale producers and traffickers of illegal drugs and ensuring tougher law enforcement.

Recognising the increasing number of alcohol and drug-related hospital admissions, $12 million will be provided to 21 hospital emergency departments across Victoria to specifically support people with alcohol and drug-related problems.

Further information

See Reducing the alcohol and drug toll: Victoria’s plan 2013-2017.