Join us for the launch of the Research/Commentary Report “Prioritising Abstinence-Based Prevention, Regulation, and Recovery to Reduce Substance-Related Harm and Promote Mental Health at a Population Level.”

Authors John W. Toumbourou and Shane Varcoe will share the background behind their report and discuss why abstinence-based prevention, regulation, and recovery are essential pillars in reducing substance-related harm and supporting mental health.

In a policy landscape often dominated by stand-alone harm reduction approaches, this discussion reframes the conversation around the continuum of care, highlighting how investment in abstinence-based prevention and regulation can strengthen treatment, recovery, and mental health outcomes.

The event will also feature insights from the Institute for Behavior and Health on their prevention method “One Choice,” which promotes the normalisation of non-use as a form of mental health self-care, while recognising that prevention messages should meet young people where they are on the continuum of care.