FUNDAMENTALS OF DRUG USE IN SOCIETY

PHA4DUS

Not currently offered

Credit points: 15

Subject outline

Drug use affects almost everybody in society. This blended subject critically appraises harm minimisation approaches and the history of drug use in Australia and internationally from a public health perspective reflecting on how social, economic and political factors and other complexities can affect the role that drugs and drug use can have in contemporary Australia. This subject will explore rates of drug use and harms, drug use as framed in the media and popular culture, drugs and the internet. Public policy responses to drug use will be examined, including prevention, treatment, legal issues and regulation, and policing. Workshops will take these factors into consideration and apply them to the role pharmacists can play in developing harm minimisation models within appropriate ethical and legal frameworks.

School: Molecular Sciences (Pre 2022)

Credit points: 15

Subject Co-ordinator: Pene Wood

Available to Study Abroad/Exchange Students: No

Subject year level: Year Level 4 - UG/Hons/1st Yr PG

Available as Elective: No

Learning Activities: N/A

Capstone subject: No

Subject particulars

Subject rules

Prerequisites: N/A

Co-requisites: N/A

Incompatible subjects: N/A

Equivalent subjects: N/A

Quota Management Strategy: N/A

Quota-conditions or rules: N/A

Special conditions: N/A

Minimum credit point requirement: N/A

Assumed knowledge: N/A

Learning resources

Drug use and Public Health

Resource Type: Book

Resource Requirement: Recommended

Author: Moore, D., & Dietze, P.

Year: 2008

Edition/Volume: N/A

Publisher: Oxford University Press Australia & New Zealand

ISBN: N/A

Chapter/article title: N/A

Chapter/issue: N/A

URL: N/A

Other description: N/A

Source location: N/A

Drug use in Australia: preventing harm

Resource Type: Book

Resource Requirement: Recommended

Author: Hamilton, M, King, T & Ritter, A

Year: 2004

Edition/Volume: N/A

Publisher: Oxford University Press Australia & New Zealand

ISBN: N/A

Chapter/article title: N/A

Chapter/issue: N/A

URL: N/A

Other description: N/A

Source location: N/A

Drug Use in Australian Society

Resource Type: Book

Resource Requirement: Recommended

Author: Lee, N, King, T & Ritter, A

Year: 2017

Edition/Volume: 2nd Ed

Publisher: Oxford University Press Australia & New Zealand

ISBN: N/A

Chapter/article title: N/A

Chapter/issue: N/A

URL: N/A

Other description: N/A

Source location: N/A

Career Ready

Career-focused: No

Work-based learning: No

Self sourced or Uni sourced: N/A

Entire subject or partial subject: N/A

Total hours/days required: N/A

Location of WBL activity (region): N/A

WBL addtional requirements: N/A

Graduate capabilities & intended learning outcomes

Graduate Capabilities

Intended Learning Outcomes

01. Apply critical thinking and judgement about how social, economic, regulatory and political factors and policies have shaped the development of drug distribution and use locally and globally.
02. Critique public health perspectives on alcohol and other drugs including harm minimisation and health promotion strategies. Assess the specific outcomes of use of these substances and how this may impact a community response.
03. Analyse the current theories, principles and models of harm minimisation (demand reduction, supply reduction and harm reduction with respect to both licit and illicit drugs.
04. Critically analyse the role of the pharmacist in each of the pillars of harm minimisation (demand reduction, supply reduction and harm reduction especially with regard to their role in prevention and consumer education.
05. Outline and interpret the law and literature with regard to ethics, privacy, informed consent and service provision in the harm reduction space and investigate strategies to overcome issues in order to deliver optimal patient outcomes.
Subject not currently offered - Subject options not available.