Nicotine Addiction & Smoking Cessation Training Course

Gain in-depth knowledge and skills in nicotine addiction and smoking cessation to work in primary and allied healthcare as a tobacco treatment and smoking cessation specialist.

Hosted by A/Prof Renee Bittoun Tobacco Treatment Specialist, Adjunct Associate Professor Medical School, University of Notre Dame Australia, along with other experts in the field of smoking cessation. A/Prof Bittoun has been teaching this coursefor over 15 years, regularly updating the content and has many years of experience in clinical practice and professional training regarding smoking cessation.

Topics: Causes, consequences, treatment and research of smoking cessation, nicotine addiction and appropriate evidence based smoking cessation techniques in practical application. Our aim is to improve the implementation and evaluation of programs in smoking cessation. This three day course includes a USB stick with course materials and a certificate of attendance is awarded on completion.

REGISTER ONLINE: https://smokingcessationoct2018.eventbrite.com.au

Alternatively DOWNLOAD and complete the registration form.

New Thoughts of Substance Podcast from the ECR sub-committee

On this episode of Thoughts Of Substance, Dr Christina Marel is talking to the 2007 winner of the APSAD Early Career Award, Associate Professor Katherine Mills, about some of her career successes and challenges. Has it all been smooth sailing? What were some of the biggest obstacles she’s encountered along the way to becoming an independent researcher? 

https://soundcloud.com/user-960069631-756237016/3-thoughts-of-substance

ECU Study on Microdosing Psychedlics

Have you ever Microdosed with psychedelic drugs? 

Researchers at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia are conducting an exploratory study on the effects of microdosing psychedelics. Chief investigator: Samantha Bettinson (BPsychSc) Supervising Researchers: Dr E. Gringart and Dr S. Bright.

What we are trying to discover: The purpose of the study is to explore wellbeing, stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms in people who microdose compared with a group practising an activity that has similar aims to microdosing.

Why? While there is growing research demonstrating the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs, there is limited research on microdosing. Anecdotal reports of microdosing are consistent with research on the therapeutic effects of psychedelics in larger doses. Microdosing might provide the beneficial therapeutic effects associated with psychedelics without the intense experience of a full dose.

https://ecuau.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9pK4Rmqc624XWcJ

Australian Association of Smoking Cessation Professionals will be merging with our society

APSAD is pleased to announce that the Australian Association of Smoking Cessation Professionals will be merging with our Society. As APSAD members, they will form a Special Interest Group - the Australasian Smoking Cessation Professionals Special Interest Group (ASCP-SIG).

The amalgamation was flagged at last year’s APSAD Annual General Meeting. It is the result of careful consideration of the benefits and challenges involved. The amalgamation is a new exciting chapter in the Society’s history.

There will be no change to membership of APSAD and no change to the membership fee. There will be some exciting additions to benefit members including:

• Access to the online Journal of Smoking Cessation in addition to the Drug and Alcohol Review
  
• Annual Smoking Cessation Update Day to be held on the Sunday at the APSAD Conference
  
• Ability to join the ASCP Special Interest Group
  
• Monthly webinars - kindly coordinated by Kevin Price from the Seventh Day Adventist Group
• Database of practising professional members as a referral source
  
• Find a Tobacco Specialist – Finder on the APSAD website
  
• ASCP Listserv

The APSAD website is currently being updated to include the ASCP-SIG, Tobacco Specialist Finder and the membership application form. Those interested can apply to join the ASCP Special Interest Group at the same time as applying to join APSAD. Current APSAD members who wish to join the ASCP-SIG will need to complete a new membership application form. This new form will help us update your details in our database as well as collecting the new information for the ASCP-SIG. 

The ASCP-SIG will require members to be accredited as Tobacco Treatment Specialists and will also facilitate accreditation as Tobacco Treatment Specialists for those interested in becoming members of the Special Interest Group.

APSAD’s updated website should be ready before the end of June, we’ll send another email to members when it’s ready.

APSAD and ASCP will be holding a teleconference on Tuesday 12 June at 1200 (AEST) hosted by Lynda Berends (Immediate Past President APSAD) and Renee Bittoun (Past President AASCP), to provide members with more information and to answer any questions you may have. Details to dial in are provided below. We have put together some slides for the teleconference and to provide further information for those unable to attend.

The slides are available for you to download.

Teleconference details:

Toll-Free Numbers:

Australia:       1 800 064 762

New Zealand:  0 508 31 0169

Toll Numbers:

Australia:        +61 2 8090 8323

New Zealand:  +64 9 973 7382

Conference Room Number: 528-225-008

If you are unable to join the teleconference but have questions you can contact Liz Baxter at the APSAD office on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Please pass on this information to your networks.

The Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies (NADA) - update

NADA CONFERENCE - Updated program outline
An updated program is now live on the conference website, and attached for your convenience. It’s time to start planning: 
your day will be filled with keynotes, panel discussions, exciting presentations and workshops.

Conference streams include: withdrawal management, integrated approaches to treatment, client outcomes and more.

Learn from our keynotes, including:

• the impact of decriminalisation on integrated responses and delivery of treatment services in Portugal
• why the consumers’ voice should be central to AOD treatment
• what responding to family and domestic violence might mean in AOD service provision context
• current evidence base and innovations for primary and comorbid substance use disorders in young people.

Join the panel discussion on ‘Access and equity in AOD treatment’ and a Q&A with Minister Brad Hazzard. 

Register now for NADA Conference 2018: registrations close 25 May.

Pre-conference workshops
Two one-day pre-conference workshops have been announced, free for NADA members and conference delegates:
‘Magnifying motivational interviewing workshop’ and ‘Well beings: A workshop on workplace wellbeing for managers and supervisors.’

The College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD) Meeting

CPDD 80th Annual Scientific Meeting

9 - 14 June 2018 Hilton San Diego Bayfront, San Diego CA USA 

We will have a number of symposia and workshops, some in conjunction with the International Narcotics Research Conference (INRC), which overlaps with CPDD for a few days, and others that also include the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA). If you are attending the INRC or RSA conference after the CPDD conference you can qualify for a 20% discount.

Early Bird Registration Deadline:  April 16, 2018; Standard Rates will apply on and after April 17, 2018

To register and for further information on the speakers and program click here to view. 

Insight Seminars | free for APSAD Members

To download semester one calendar click here. 

Thoughts of Substance Podcast #2

Thoughts of Substance podcasts have been created by the APSAD Early Career Researcher sub-committee. 

In this episode, Dr Amy Peacock is joined by Dr Sarah Larney, winner of the 2014 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and Other Drugs (APSAD) Early Career Researcher Award. Dr Larney is a Senior Research Fellow at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, conducting epidemiological research related to injecting drug use and related problems. In this episode, Dr Larney describes her career highs and lows, and offers tips for establishing international collaborations and building an academic social media presence.

https://soundcloud.com/user-960069631-756237016/2-podcast-thought-of-substance

Save the date 2018 APSAD Conference

Kia ora

On behalf of the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs, we are pleased to invite you to our beautiful City of Sails and fun, Auckland, for the APSAD Auckland 2018 Conference.

The Conference will be held at the Pullman Hotel in the centre of Auckland from 4 - 7 November. It will showcase high quality and state of the art scientific research into treatment, prevention and policy while also providing an opportunity for practitioners to share their latest insights and lessons learnt.  Where ever you have travelled from you will be warmly welcomed.

We will be sharing with you a uniquely Kiwi experience.  Auckland is a diverse city full of activities and surrounded by the breathtaking scenery! It’s the sort of place where sleep gets in the way! Exploring beyond Auckland will also be highly rewarding. And for those with a few extra days before or after the conference opportunities are endless - explore subtropical Northland and the Bay of Islands; the low rises of the Coromandel Peninsular; the magical Māori experience in Rotorua; our vibrant capital Wellington; or the breathtaking scenery of the Southern Alps. There’s plenty more!

On behalf of the APSAD Council, Organising Committee and the Scientific Advisory Committee we would be honoured to welcome you and your families/whanau to Auckland, New Zealand in 2018.

Dr Susanna Galea and Dr David Newcombe

2018 APSAD Conference Co-Convenors  

Thoughts of Substance Podcast

The APSAD Early Career Researcher (ECR) subcommittee has been working on new initiatives which we hope the APSAD membership, particularly our ECRs, will find of interest. The subcommittee will be developing a series of podcasts under the title “Thoughts of Substance” where you can hear members of the ECR subcommittee interview professionals in the drug and alcohol sector discussing research, ideas and a range of other topics, across a range of disciplines, relevant for ECRs in this field. Over the next few episodes, you can hear from some of the previous winners of the APSAD Early Career Award discuss how their careers have evolved, and their current work. We are excited to announce the first Thoughts of Substance podcast has just been released featuring Dr Christina Marel interviewing Dr Suzanne Nielsen (APSAD ECR Award winner in 2011).

We would be happy to hear your thoughts and feedback, let us know if you have an idea or topic you would like to hear about by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Join in the conversation with other ECRs on our APSAD ECR network Facebook Group page and our LinkedIn networking group.

Thoughts of Substance Podcast #1