Young People

Of teenagers in Australia who are drinking alcohol, 41.6% said their parents were the main source of alcohol supply. That’s why DrinkWise created the national It’s okay to say nay campaign.

Illicit drugs are never safe and the impact on your health and life can be harmful. Find out the risks to your health and read the Australian Government's Department of Health and Aged Care's tips for staying safe at events. Discover what you can do as parent or teacher to support teenagers and young people.

Sourced from Positive Choices, this short animation goes through some ideas for how you can say no to your friends without losing face.

This factsheet from the Department of Health Tasmania and the Department for Education, Children and Young People Tasmania features example images of vaping devices and important information that parents and teachers need to know.

What are adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and what do they mean for a growing child? Find out in this animated video from the Canadian Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health.

Looking for alcohol and other drug resources that fit within the Australian educational curriculum? Resources on Positive Choices are organised by type, such as factsheets, videos and apps. On this page, you can click on any of these sections to find resources of a particular type.

In this video from Quit Victoria, we look at what you need to know about teenagers and vaping: How they work, what the risks are, and what to look out for.

Drug Aware’s Little White Lies campaign aims to correct misinformation around young people and drug use, help young people make informed decisions and not feel pressured to use just because they think ‘everyone else is doing it’.

This webinar from the Matilda Centre will provide attendees with an overview of the important role parents can play in preventing adolescent substance use. This video is 48 minutes.

Adolescence is a key period of growth and development, with the brain also changing enormously during this period. Under Construction is a highly acclaimed 4 minute animation that discusses adolescent brain development and highlights the effects of alcohol and risky drinking on different brain regions, as well as its impact on behaviour.

Problematic alcohol or other drug use can make it harder for you to care for your children and give them what they need. Learn more and find national services in this factsheet from RaisingChildren.net.au

Your teenager may come into contact with drugs for the first time during high school. They may encounter drugs at a party and may be tempted to try them out of curiosity, or to join in with their friends, or to feel better.

This factsheet from Reach Out can help if you:

• are concerned about peer pressure and drugs.
• want to talk to your teenager about drugs.
• need more information on how Australian teenagers are using drugs.
• are concerned that your teen has a problem.

Please note this resource was created outside of Tasmania: it may contain links for services not available in the state.