The Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs Conference starts on Wednesday 7 May and runs for two days at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Hobart.

The theme of the conference is Visions and Values: Setting the scene for the future.

Over 150 delegates will hear from a number of eminent local, national and international speakers.

The conference will be officially opened by His Excellency the Governor of Tasmania, The Honourable Peter Underwood AC.

The conference will be facilitated by Professor Steve Allsop the Director of the National Drug Research Institute at Curtin University and Director of the World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for the Prevention of Alcohol and Drug Abuse.

Day one highlights include:

9:30am A keynote address from Beau Kilmer, Co-director of the RAND Drug Policy Research Center in the USA, about the key public health and public safety considerations when jurisdictions are considering changes to cannabis policy.

11:00am Plenary address from Dr Adrian Carter, a Research Fellow of the National Health and Medical Research Council from the University of Queensland, about the impact that neuroscience has on understanding and treating addiction and other compulsive behaviours.

11:55am Plenary address from Associate Professor Robert Ali the Director of the School of Medical Sciences from the University of Adelaide calling on the sector to rethink the approach to medication assisted treatment and consider alternative models that can increase access as well as reduce the financial burden for consumers.

1:30pm A workshop will be coordinated by Professor Sharon Dawe, Research Professor from the Australian Centre for Child Protection from the University of South Australia and Griffith University, to help reduce the risk of child abuse and harm in substance misusing families.

1:30pm In a concurrent session Chief Magistrate Michael Hill will outline the role of DWI (driving while impaired/intoxicated) Courts in tackling repeat or recidivist drink-driving in the community.

2:05pm Beau Kilmer will provide an address about a New Approach to Reducing Drunk Driving, Domestic Violence, and Other Alcohol-Related Problems: providing insights from South Dakota’s 24/7 Sobriety program.

For more information visit the ATDC Conference 2014 website: http://atdc.org.au/conference2014/index.html
David Gardiner Policy and Research Officer Alcohol, Tobacco & other Drugs Council Tasmania