Harm reduction in Australia: has it worked? A review

The literature is reviewed with a view to determining what evidence exists for the success of Australia's policy of harm minimization in relation to drug use. While there are relatively few examples of strategies which can unequivocally be said to have succeeded, there are many more for which the evidence is suggestive. While there has been a considerable mushrooming of research since the advent of the National Campaign on Drug Abuse, it would appear that little of this has measured the extent to which harm has been reduced. The National Drug Strategy would benefit from more policy-orientated research which measures drug-related harm if it is to be, as claimed, research driven.

Diet in the prevention of cancer: what are the chances of avoidance?

In most western populations, cancer causes about a fifth of all deaths, and in developing populations, 5-15%, with the likelihood of further rises. Diet is considered responsible for about a third of cases of cancer and smoking another third. Dietarily, for cancer avoidance, recommendations made include eat less, eat much less fat especially saturated fat, and eat more plant foods, i.e. cereals, but very particularly vegetables and fruit. However, only high consumptions of the latter are consistently associated with a lower risk of cancers, notably of the digestive and respiratory tracts. For each change urged, meaningful compliance will be very difficult, due largely to conservativeness as well as to the higher cost of a 'prudent' diet. Notwithstanding, urges to make dietary changes, particularly relating to plant foods, must be continued, especially with regard to persons familially susceptible and, additionally, with the recognition that the measures recommended also serve to lessen susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases. Compliance, even by a small proportion, could result in large numbers benefiting due to the universality of the burden from cancer.