About this webinar:

Nitrous Oxide (N2O), colloquially known as “laughing gas” or “nangs”, is a dissociative anaesthetic that has become increasingly popular among young people. The growing popularity of N2O can be attributed to its ease of access through social media and messaging platforms. Concerns of the harmful effects of N2O on users’ physical and psychological health have grown; yet this growing concern is not matched by harm reduction support. This mismatch highlights not only the need to develop harm reduction resources for N2O but also for these resources to be adapted to social media platforms. This study drew on the lived experience of young people who used N2O to develop harm reduction resources for dissemination on social media.

About the speakers:

Julaine is a Professor of Mental Health and Addictions at the Rural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University and a Senior Visiting Fellow at the National Drug And Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW.

Julaine is a researcher-practitioner in substance use and mental health with a background in social work and human rights. She has worked in mental health, child protection and substance treatment. Her current research investigates the implementation of psycho-social interventions for substance dependence and the provision of drug and alcohol and mental health services for young people and people with cognitive impairment.

Associate Professor Jacqui Cameron is an experienced social work practitioner and researcher with a passion for translating research into practice, combining her extensive skills in knowledge translation, qualitative research, and project management. Jacqui works at the University of Wollongong.

Jacqui has extensive experience in the drug and alcohol field. She collaborates with frontline services to utilise evidence to inform practice and manage complex issues. In her research, she is motivated by the influence of ‘real-world’ practitioner expertise and the voices of service users with lived experience. Her ability lies in engaging with practitioners and lived-experience participants with enthusiasm and credibility.