Among Australians use of alcohol and other drugs is almost ubiquitous and results in 13% of total morbidity, but clinicians generally receive limited training in diagnosis and management of substance-use disorders. Written by clinical and academic specialists in their fields, and providing a comprehensive overview of the principles and practice of addiction medicine, this textbook will facilitate such training. The book’s 36 chapters, by 62 specialist contributors, are organised into 5 sections. In Section 1, how substance use can be understood and core principles of management of substance-use disorders are outlined. In Section 2, the clinical and other core skills required for practice are described: clinical assessment, therapeutic relationship, psychological interventions, screening and brief interventions, drug testing and biomarkers of consumption, responsible prescribing, and medico-legal assessment and report-writing. In Section 3, common clinical issues – intoxication and overdose, withdrawal, comorbidities, and pain management and pharmaceutical opioids – are described. Section 4, the largest section, is devoted to consideration of specific substances, legal, illegal, and emerging: tobacco, alcohol, opioids, cannabis, stimulants, hallucinogens, benzodiazepines, and volatile substances. The focus of Section 5 is special populations, adolescents, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, injecting-drug users, and others. With new clinical syndromes arising from synthesis of new substances, and with new approaches to treatment being developed, addiction medicine is a rapidly-evolving field. The book is designed to meet the specific needs of a young graduate who is starting a clinical rotation in a drug and alcohol unit. Medical students and junior medical officers will find the book valuable, as will other health professionals who care for people with substance-use problems in drug and alcohol services, nurses, counsellors, and welfare/social workers.

The book is a practical guide to caring for individuals with substance use disorder. Written for generalists and non-addiction specialists, this new edition emphasizes compassionate, non-stigmatizing, patient-focused care.

The purpose of this report is to heighten awareness of Volatile Substance Abuse as a multi-faceted and widespread social problem, and stimulate a programme of action.

Encyclopedia of Forensic and Legal Medicine, Volumes 1-4, Second Edition is a pioneering four volume encyclopedia compiled by an international team of forensic specialists who explore the relationship between law, medicine, and science in the study of forensics. This important work includes over three hundred state-of-the-art chapters, with articles covering crime-solving techniques such as autopsies, ballistics, fingerprinting, hair and fiber analysis, and the sophisticated procedures associated with terrorism investigations, forensic chemistry, DNA, and immunoassays. Available online, and in four printed volumes, the encyclopedia is an essential reference for any practitioner in a forensic, medical, healthcare, legal, judicial, or investigative field looking for easily accessible and authoritative overviews on a wide range of topics. Chapters have been arranged in alphabetical order, and are written in a clear-and-concise manner, with definitions provided in the case of obscure terms and information supplemented with pictures, tables, and diagrams. Each topic includes cross-referencing to related articles and case studies where further explanation is required, along with references to external sources for further reading. Brings together all appropriate aspects of forensic medicine and legal medicine Contains color figures, sample forms, and other materials that the reader can adapt for their own practice Also available in an on-line version which provides numerous additional reference and research tools, additional multimedia, and powerful search functions Each topic includes cross-referencing to related articles and case studies where further explanation is required, along with references to external sources for further reading

This is a review of published and unpublished literature addressing petrol sniffing in Australian Aboriginal communities. In this executive summary, the main findings are itemised; however, because petrol sniffing, when it occurs, is invariably a product of a complex mix of causes findings should not be considered in isolation.