Understanding and disrupting alcohol availability as a pathway to addressing mental ill-health, injury and harm with adolescents and young adults

Investigators: Dr Bosco Rowland, A/Prof Adrian Kelly, Dr Rowan Ogeil, Prof John Toumbourou, Dr Bianca Klettke, Dr Jacqueline Allen, Dr Ting Xia, Prof Dan Lubman, Dr Ryan Baldwin, Dr Julie Abimanyi-Ochom, Dr Jennifer Bailey, Dr Elizabeth Clancy, Rachel Smith, Leonardo Butterworth Banzhaf, Elle Handley, Anthony Jorm

Adolescence is a high-risk time for the development of mental health and substance use disorders. Communities must be equipped with the tools and knowledge they need to counter the broadening that we are seeing in supply pathways and adolescents’ access to alcohol. These strengthening access points include the rise of online ordering, rapid alcohol delivery services that often overlook age checks, and the increasing availability of zero or low-alcohol products – factors that may lead parents and guardians to soften boundaries around alcohol use.

This project will investigate the extent to which rising mental illness is linked with increasing alcohol access, before developing strategies to strengthen services and regulate alcohol supply. Ultimately, this study aims to reduce risky drinking among adolescents. By targeting these rapidly changing pathways to alcohol use, this project has the potential to improve the long-term mental and physical health outcomes of future generations.

Funder: MRFF

This project is a collaboration between Turning Point, Monash University, Queensland University of Technology, Deakin University, Griffith University, and the University of Washington.