Booze and drugs face technology | Northern Rivers News | Local News in Northern Rivers

Kate O'Neill | 11th July 2009

LOCAL youth workers are planning a high-tech campaign to tackle youth drinking and drug use.

In a cutting edge initiative Community Drug Action teams in Byron Bay, Evans Head and Tweed Heads will use Bluetooth technology to spread the harm-minimisation message to youth at risk of drug and alcohol abuse.

Bluetooth is a way of sending messages and moving advertisements to all enabled mobile phones up to a range of about 500 metres.

Nicqui Yazdi, of the Byron Underage Drinking and Drug Initiative, said the Bluetooth campaign would target pubs and clubs and also places where young people gathered to drink, such as the parks and streets.

Mobile phone users in these areas would receive a message from their local Drug Action team, reminding them of the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse.

Ms Yazdi said a successful trial of the technology, targeting amphetamine users, had recently been run in Western Australia and she hoped a local campaign would reduce some problems associated with youth drinking and drug use in Byron Bay and neighbouring shires.

Ms Yazdi said the campaign was born out of the recent Creative Synergy Conference in Wollongong, where she was a guest speaker.

“One of the best outcomes of the conference was connecting with Evans Head and Tweed Heads Community Drug Action teams,” she said.

“We all have very similar problems with youth and drugs and alcohol, particularly at times of celebration and school holidays. By forming an alliance and producing harm minimisation campaigns we can hopefully reduce some of the problems in this region.”

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