New drug education, research proposals receive funding

Six projects relating to drug education and research are to receive funding from the recently-established National Drug Policy Discretionary Fund, says Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton.

In Budget 2004, the Progressive Party secured the establishment of a new fund to advance the coalition government's anti-drugs campaign and last month the Progressive leader announced that Murupara's 'P free-campaign' was the first beneficiary of the new fund.

"I'm delighted to announce today that my colleagues and I on the Ministerial Committee on Drug Policy have now given the green-light to six further proposals which complement the government's ongoing anti-drugs education and research programmes," Jim Anderton said.

“Three of the projects deal with research into the health effects of cannabis, the most highly used illegal substance in New Zealand. These studies aim to gather information on the effects of cannabis on a person's lungs, how this compares with using tobacco, and the impact of cannabis expenditure on households," Jim Anderton said.

The other three projects to receive funding are concerned with drug education and focus on communities or schools.

"One of these proposals is expected to ensure that the recently released and updated handbook on effective drug education delivered to school principals is fully utilized as a working document.

“Drug education funding is also to be provided to the Ten-Foot Tall and Bullet Proof theatre production for schools in Northland, as part of other health promotion activity in the area.

The final new project to receive funding is the Phobic Trust, an organization that treats around 2,500 people a year. It will conduct a study relating to the prevalence of co-existing substance abuse and anxiety disorders.

BACKGROUND

The Labour-Progressive government’s anti-drugs strategy aims to both reduce the supply of drugs and the demand for them while at the same time it promotes empirical research into the effects of drugs while providing treatment services to assist those suffering from drug abuse to get back on their feet.

Misuse of Drugs legislation currently before Parliament's Health Select Committee, due to be enacted next year, significantly toughens up on the illegal peddlers and suppliers of dangerous drugs.

The Community Action on Youth And Drugs or CAYAD programmes, meanwhile, aim to help communities reduce the demand for drugs while recently announced extra funding for youth treatment beds in Christchurch and the Central Region are there to assist the victims of the drug peddlers get back on their feet.

BACKGROUND NOTES

EMBARGOED until 1 am Monday 20 December

1. A study of the risk factors for lung cancer – does marijuana play a role in young people? – Medical Research Institute of New Zealand (MRINZ)

Proposal Objectives

This proposal from MRINZ is a case-control study using interview questionnaires determining the presence of risk factors including marijuana use.

The objectives of this proposal are:

To determine whether chronic marijuana use increases the risk of lung cancer To ascertain whether marijuana smoking is associated with a particular histological type of malignancy To ascertain whether marijuana smoking is associated with malignancy at a particular anatomical site To determine whether smoking tobacco and marijuana has an addictive effect with regard to lung cancer To asses the interaction between marijuana and other known risk factors for lung malignancy

MRINZ have already studied 35 of the planned 100 cases.

Funding Approved $84,000 (GST excl).

THE PULMORY EFFECTS OF MARIJUANA USE – Medical Research Institute of New Zealand (MRINZ)

Proposal Objectives

This is a prospective, controlled parallel-group study made up of 320 subjects. The subjects would be recruited as 1 of 4 groups - Marijuana Smokers, Tobacco Smokers, Smokers of both Tobacco and Marijuana, Non-Smokers.

The objectives of this proposal are:

To determine the prevalence, nature and severity of emphysema in habitual marijuana smokers To determine the relationship between radiological changes, respiratory symptoms and lung function in habitual marijuana smokers To determine the dose-response and time course relationships between habitual marijuana smoking and the presence and severity of emphysema, respiratory symptoms and lung function abnormalities To determine the dose equivalence of marijuana compared with tobacco smoking in terms of the development of emphysema, respiratory symptoms and abnormal lung function To determine whether synergistic effects occur between marijuana and tobacco smoking in terms of the development of respiratory disorders.

200 of the proposed 320 subjects have already been studied.

Funding Approved $76,000 (GST excl).

3. THE IMPACT OF CANNABIS EXPENDITURE ON HOUSEHOLDS IN NEW ZEALAND – Centre for Social Health Outcomes Research and Evaluation (SHORE), Massey University

Proposal Objectives

The objective of this proposal is to analyse the financial impact of cannabis expenditure on households in New Zealand.

Funding Approved $5,300.00 (GST excl).

4. Implementation of the MYD drug-education publications for school-based drug education – Ministry of Youth Development (MYD)

Proposal Objectives The proposal submitted by MYD is to conduct workshops for school principals on MYD’s handbook and practical guide ‘Strengthening Drug Education in School Communities’. The MYD propose to hold these workshops at the national conference for school principals, the objectives of these workshops are to:

Raise the awareness of MYD’s publications among key stakeholders and to explain their content and application Support Ministry of Education’s recommendation for schools to have a curriculum-based approach to drug education delivered by qualified teachers Provide schools with practical examples of how to apply the principles of best practice Encourage schools to apply evidence-based drug education in school-based drug education and to use the checklist for assessing the quality of external drug education providers or programmes when deciding to utilise these Assist schools with formulating plans for implementing best practice in their schools

Funding approved $30,000.00 (GST excl).

5. TEN-FOOT TALL & BULLET PROOF – Arts Promotion Trust

Proposal Objectives

The approach of this proposal is to follow a safety first strategy in developing multiple forums for open discussion and learning about ‘P’ abuse rather than to moralise.

The process contains three main elements:

The Play – Effective learning through shared experience The Workshop – Effective learning through make-believe High Alternatives – Internet Site

The play and workshop are delivered on the same day; the 50min play being performed in the morning with 2 subsequent 50min workshops being delivered in the afternoon. Smaller groups for workshops can be targeted to specific groups within schools as per individual schools requirements. The cyber journal will follow and will be ongoing as with other curriculum activities.

Funding Approved $32,000 (GST excl).

6. TE IKA WHENUA HAUORA MURUPARA COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE – Te Ika Whenua Hauora Murupara Inc

Proposal Objectives

Te Ika Whenua Hauora Murupara Inc’s proposal has two objectives.

The first objective is to look to address the problems of drug abuse directly and create a drug fee culture in Murupara via the following strategies:

Supporting Police and other enforcement agencies to reduce the supply of drugs in Murupara Employing a Health Promoter Identifying and assessing drug and alcohol related problems Identifying a range of strategies to minimise drug and alcohol related harm.

The second objective of this proposal is to strengthen the community’s resiliency so that there is a reduction in the demand for alcohol and drugs in Murupara. The strategies proposed for this objective are:

To improve coordination and collaboration between existing services and agencies Identify areas where services or activities are lacking and determine how these services can be brought to Murupara. To work with other agencies to improve employment, housing, and safety in Murupara To engender a greater sense of community pride in Murupara and surrounding areas.

Funding Approved $115,000 (GST excl).

7. PREVALENCE OF CO-EXISTING SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS AND INDEPENDENTLY OCCURRING ANXIETY AND MOOD DISORDERS IN NEW ZEALAND SUBJECTS PRESENTING FOR TREATMENT AT ANXIETY DISORDERS CLINICS AND COMMUNITY ALCOHOL AND DRUG SERVICE CLINICS – The Phobic Trust of New Zealand Inc 1983

Proposal Objectives

The objectives of the Phobic Trust of New Zealand’s proposal are:

To provide data of the prevalence of independent and substance induced anxiety and mood disorders amongst clients with substance use disorders presenting for treatment at anxiety disorders clinics and community alcohol and drug services. To evaluate this data in a way that would assist the evaluation of existing treatment programmes for substance use disorder clients with co-existing anxiety and mood disorders. To assess the need for the revision of prevention strategies for substance use disorders

There are three parts to the proposal to achieve the above objectives. The first part is a Sample, this is where an analysis is conducted of all clients who presented for treatment at the Phobic Trusts Anxiety Disorders Clinics in Auckland and Wellington since 1 January 2000.

The next segment of the proposal is done over a period of six months. The applicant invites clients for treatment at DHB CADs clinics and at Phobic Trusts Anxiety Disorders Clinics.

The final part of the proposal is Statistical Analysis. The Phobic Trust’s aim is to calculate prevalence’s and co-existence for alcohol, drug, mood, anxiety and substance induced anxiety and mood disorders.

Funding Approved $85,000(Gst excl) .

BACKGROUND:

NATIONAL DRUG POLICY DISCRETIONARY FUND

The Fund was established in 2004 to provide Ministers involved with drug policy, access to a pool of funding for new initiatives or projects that fill gaps in drug policy work. The Interagency on Drugs (IACD) and the Ministerial Committee on Drug Policy (MCDP) jointly manage the fund.

The Fund’s objectives are:

To allow the MDCP to fund projects/organisations that meet the funding criteria and that fill a gap that would otherwise remain unfilled due to not meeting a particular agency’s funding criteria; To fund high quality cross-departmental projects, which will support the advancement of Government’s National Drug Policy; To allow for forward planning and fast response, by Government agencies, to changes in current and emerging drug trends;

In the 2004/05 year, up to $427,000 (GST excl.) is available for allocation rising to $871,000(GST excl.)

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