Medication Dependence Prevention Month is an annual event to raise awareness about preventing medication harms and finding community support.

At the moment in Australia, more people are dying due to the use of some prescription pain and sedative medications than on our roads.

We have the power to prevent this health crisis.

We all know how hard it can be to keep getting things done if we’re in pain, feeling panicked or haven’t slept. Medications like opioids and benzodiazepines (like Valium) can sometimes help in the short-term to get relief.

Often if we use these medications for too long though, it increases the chances of having unwanted side-effects like medication tolerance, dependence and addiction. Long-term use of these medications might also mean we even get worse pain or have more trouble sleeping.

Up to one in ten people who leave hospital after surgery with an opioid prescription keep using opioids long-term.[i]

If you are prescribed an opioid medication, a sleeping tablet or a sedative medication, make a plan about how and when to safely stop with your health professional.

DOWNLOAD RESOURCES

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+ Event toolkit featuring ideas for your local event, tips for how to make it happen, get people there and make the most impact.

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+ This Excel template for event planning including a checklist, short and long run-sheets and a sign-up sheet can help you feel prepared.

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+ Help your speakers and event run smoothly with this PowerPoint presentation template

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+ If you’re engaging with the media to promote your event, make sure to send them through these guidelines to help reduce the stigma in media portrayals of this issue.

Download PowerPoint template here.