The inaugural National Family Drug Support Day will be held on Wednesday 24th February.
The event will be celebrated at Parliament House Canberra at 10am and there will be other State events held around Australia.
Drugs affect all members of the community but it is the families and drug users themselves who bear the brunt of the problems. The National Day will deliver some key messages for affected families.
Tony Trimingham - Founder and CEO of Family Drug Support stated:
‘Any family anywhere in Australia, regardless of background, economic and other circumstances can be affected by drugs. Drug users and their families are often misrepresented, stereotyped and discriminated against. Families struggle with the negative effects of drug use. This is a barrier to them seeking help and support and hinders the prospect of positive outcome. We hope this new annual event will reach members of the community and change some of the negative attitudes that exist. We also hope it will encourage affected families to reach out for support – Let’s Talk”.
Mr Trimingham also said ‘Criminalising drug use has the opposite effect of what is intended. It hinders progress, wastes valuable resources and adds to the burdens carried by families. We hope to increase the understanding of dealing with drug use in the way the disability and mental health sectors have been successful in achieving!
