Know Your Drug Facts is a drug education program and awareness campaign delivered in public libraries in NSW.
The aim of the program is to provide community members with information and resources to improve their knowledge and awareness of legal and illegal drugs, their effects and the consequences of their use.
This page provides links and information to help you implement the Know Your Drug Facts program in your library.
Know your Drug Facts tool kit
Start by reading the Know your Drug Facts tool kit, which provides the information you need to run the program in your library including:
background information about drugs and why people use drugs
Each library service in NSW has been supplied with a Drug Facts Kit for use in reference work, public programs and displays, as part of the Know Your Drug Facts program.
The pack contains:
15 NSW Health Drug Facts booklets (Alcohol, Amyl Nitrite, Benzodiazepines, Cannabis, Cocaine, Ecstasy, Energy drinks and Caffeine, GHB, Hallucinogens, Heroin, Inhalants, Ketamine, Methamphetamine, Speed & Ice, Steroids and Synthetic drugs)
A5 fold-out brochure holder
A quick guide to drugs and alcohol, 3rd edition
Cardboard foldable poster
Carry bag
The aim of the kit is to:
increase clients’ knowledge of legal and illegal drugs and their effects
provide clients with engaging and interactive activities to increase sustainable learning regarding legal and illicit drugs
The kit is supported by other print resources held in public libraries such as items in the Drug Info book collection and by information on the Drug Info website.
The kit can be used in in-house library displays, reference work, outreach activities such as pop-up libraries and expos, or to deliver an educational drug information activity workshop session. After attending a session clients will:
understand about alcohol and a wide range of drugs, how they can affect people, their side effects and withdrawal
understand about laws on drugs, including driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs
know where to access support services for themselves or for anyone else who needs it.
The Drug Fact Finder
The Drug Fact Finder is a tablet-based display which provides an interactive component to the Drug & Alcohol Info Pop-Up.
The Drug Fact Finder features:
colourful images
facts about 16 different drugs
quiz questions
QR-code links to more detailed information on the Drug Info website.
The Drug Fact Finder can be displayed in the library at any time. Simply set up an iPad in a display stand and set up some Drug Info signage with the Drug Info collection and some promotional resources. The Drug Fact Finder is at the following URL:
NOTE: For best results the Drug Fact Finder should be displayed via the Kiosk Pro application which is included on the home screen of iPads supplied with the Drug & Alcohol Info Pop-Up. Libraries displaying the Drug Fact Finder on their own devices should contact the Drug Info team for further guidance.
Social media
Twitter, Facebook and other forms of social media are effective methods of communication. You could use these channels to provide links to useful online resources in order to reinforce the messages and to support people to make informed decisions and choices about drinking.
Drug Info's social media page contains content that you can use in social media planning including images and suggested text for social media posts.
Use the following hashtags on Twitter (and Instagram/Tumblr):
#drugfacts
#nswpubliclibraries
#druginfolibsnsw
Sample tweets
Did you know … as the effects of inhalants begin to wear off, a person may experience effects such as headaches, nausea & dizziness. These effects can last for a number of days. #drugfacts
Did you know … that those who use cannabis regularly can take up to three months to have negative urine drug tests. #drugfacts
Did you know … that amyl nitrite is a clear, yellow, highly volatile and flammable liquid. The liquid smells sweet and fruity when fresh but like ‘sweaty socks’ when stale. #drugfacts
Images
Post your Know Your Drug Facts images to the Drug Info Facebook page or email images to Drug Info for inclusion on Facebook and Pinterest.
Your feedback
If you run a Know your Drug Facts event or program in your library, we'd love to hear about it. Let us know about your program via the form below.
