Overview
Psychoactive drug use in our society challenges all of us. This unit analyses individual and societal attitudes to psychoactive drug use by exploring the history of its use, drug policy, public health responses and current media issues. It examines why people use psychoactive drugs and the harms associated with drug use in some people in some circumstances and what can be done to minimise that harm.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2025
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Lecturer
Assessment 1 requires a high level of reflection on attitudes and values regarding drug use which may be triggering for some people. It is worth adding a list of helplines/support organisations for those students who may need support.
Add a list of national helplines and sources of further support to the Moodle site. Add a brief explanation of why this has been included.
- Analyse individual and societal attitudes to psychoactive drug use, exploring historical, political, public health and media responses
- Examine why people use psychoactive drugs and identify the harms associated with drug use for some people in some circumstances
- Evaluate strategies to minimise the harm that may be associated with psychoactive drug use
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 30% | |||
| 2 - Online Quiz(zes) - 30% | |||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 40% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||
| 5 - Team Work | |||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||
| 10 - First Nations Knowledges | |||
| 11 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Zoom
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing styles below:
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
c.omullan@cqu.edu.au
Week 1
Begin Date: 10 Mar 2025Module/Topic
Module 1A
Attitudes and Beliefs - Personal Values.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Please read the unit profile, and ensure you understand the assessment details.
Watch and read the content for Module 1A.
Week 2
Begin Date: 17 Mar 2025Module/Topic
Module 1B
Attitudes and Beliefs - Professional Values.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Watch and read the content for Module 1B.
You may wish to add a posting on the discussion forums for this Module.
Week 3
Begin Date: 24 Mar 2025Module/Topic
Module 2A
Motivations - Reasons for Use and Non Use.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Watch and read the content for Module 2A.
Week 4
Begin Date: 31 Mar 2025Module/Topic
Module 2B
Motivations - Social Determinants of Health.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Watch and read the content for Module 2B.
You may wish to add a posting on the discussion forums for this Module.
Consider completing one question from the Quiz (Assessment 2). It is recommended that you complete one question every 4 weeks. Each question relates to content from the previous 2 Modules.
Week 5
Begin Date: 07 Apr 2025Module/Topic
Module 3A
The Context of Alcohol and Other Drugs - The Basics.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Watch and read the content for Module 3A.
Read forum discussions. You may wish to add a posting on the discussion forums for this Module.
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 14 Apr 2025Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 6
Begin Date: 21 Apr 2025Module/Topic
Module 3B
The Context of Alcohol and Other Drugs - Drug Use as a Universal Practice.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Watch and read the content for Module 3B.
Read forum discussions. You may wish to add a posting on the discussion forums for this Module.
Reflective Essay (1500 -2000 words) Due: Week 6 Monday (21 Apr 2025) 11:45 am AEST
Week 7
Begin Date: 28 Apr 2025Module/Topic
Module 4A
Priority Populations - Part One.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Watch and read the content for Module 4A.
You may wish to add a posting on the discussion forums for this Module.
Week 8
Begin Date: 05 May 2025Module/Topic
Module 4B
Priority Populations - Part Two.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Watch and read the content for Module 4B.
Read forum discussions. You may wish to add a posting on the discussion forums for this Module.
Consider completing one question from the Quiz (Assessment 2). It is recommended that you complete one question every 4 weeks. Each question relates to content from the previous 2 Modules.
Week 9
Begin Date: 12 May 2025Module/Topic
Module 5A
Responding to Alcohol and Other Drug Use and Related Harm - Australia's Approach.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Watch and read the content for Module 5A.
You may wish to add a posting on the discussion forums for this Module.
Week 10
Begin Date: 19 May 2025Module/Topic
Module 5B
Responding to Alcohol and Other Drug Use and Related Harm - Australia's Treatment Framework.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Watch and read the content for Module 5B.
Read forum discussions. You may wish to add a posting on the discussion forums for this Module.
Week 11
Begin Date: 26 May 2025Module/Topic
Module 6A
Our Anarchical Society - International Responses.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Watch and read the content for Module 6A.
You may wish to add a posting on the discussion forums for this Module.
Week 12
Begin Date: 02 Jun 2025Module/Topic
Module 6B
Our Anarchical Society - Decolonisation.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Watch and read the content for Module 6B.
Read forum discussions. You may wish to add a posting on the discussion forums for this Module.
Online Quiz Due: Week 12 Monday (2 June 2025) 11:45 pm AEST
Review/Exam Week
Begin Date: 09 Jun 2025Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Exam Week
Begin Date: 16 Jun 2025Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
The Unit Coordinator for HLTH12030 is Associate Professor Cathy O'Mullan. Cathy can be contacted at c.omullan@cqu.edu.au
The Lecturer and key point of contact for HLTH12030 is Dr Jane Fischer. Jane can be contacted at j.fischer@cqu.edu.au
1 Written Assessment
Deservedness is essentially a judgment about whether we believe a person's situation or circumstances are fair and just. In the context of people using psychoactive substances like alcohol and drugs, these judgments can impact how they are treated. For example, if society views someone's substance use as justified or deserving of understanding (deservedness), it may lead to better access to care and services. On the other hand, if there's a perception that their behaviour is unjustified, it could affect the quality of care and support they receive. So, deservedness plays a role in shaping attitudes and actions towards individuals dealing with substance use.
Components
The assessment is in two parts:
Part One: Complete the self-administered survey on attitudes towards people who have recently consumed three different drug types. You do not have to share this with anybody, and you do not have to attach this to your essay. The survey is added as an attachment file on the Moodle site.
Part Two: Select two drugs to focus on from the following three (alcohol, cannabis, cocaine). Based on your results, produce a reflective essay exploring and evaluating your attitudes towards people who use the psychoactive substances you have chosen. You are expected to compare and contrast your attitudes towards each drug.
A "Getting Started Tip Sheet" will be available for Assessment 1.
(Please refer to the Generative AI Permission document available on your Moodle site for guidelines on the acceptable and unacceptable use of generative AI in this unit).
Week 6 Monday (21 Apr 2025) 11:45 am AEST
AEST
Two weeks after submission date.
Students will be allocated marks based on the following criteria.
Organisation and Presentation (10%)
- Structure and flow of information
- Coherence and clarity of expression (spelling, grammar, syntax)
- Style and formatting
- Length
Referencing and Quality of Evidence (10%)
- Referencing is consistent and accurate (Harvard or APA style)
- Synthesis and integration of high-quality literature and other evidence
Exploration and Evaluation of Attitudes towards Drug A (25%)
- High-level exploration and evaluation of your attitudes towards people who use Drug A (the first drug you have chosen)
- Extensive and high-level analysis and critical thinking
Exploration and Evaluation of Attitudes towards Drug B (25%)
- High-level exploration and evaluation of your attitudes towards people who use Drug B (the second drug you have chosen)
- Extensive and high-level analysis and critical thinking
Comparative Analysis (30%)
- Comprehensive comparison and contrast of attitudes toward each drug.
- Understanding of harms and contemporary issues
- Extensive and high-level analysis and reflection
- Analyse individual and societal attitudes to psychoactive drug use, exploring historical, political, public health and media responses
- Examine why people use psychoactive drugs and identify the harms associated with drug use for some people in some circumstances
2 Online Quiz(zes)
The quiz will be open throughout the term and will consist of 3 questions. It is recommended that you complete one question every 4 weeks. Each question relates to content from the previous 2 Modules.
Question 1 – Assesses learnings from Modules 1 and 2
Question 2 – Assesses learnings from Modules 3 and 4
Question 3 – Assesses learnings from Modules 5 and 6
Each question has an expected word count of approximately 500 words.
Each question will be graded out of 10 and an overall mark will be allocated based on the following:
Clarity - How clearly are ideas presented? Is the response well-organised and easy to understand?
Depth – Does the response show deep thinking/analysis? Do the responses go beyond surface-level understanding?
Examples- Are specific examples used to enhance understanding? Do the examples support key points?
(Please refer to the Generative AI Permission document available on your Moodle site for guidelines on the acceptable and unacceptable use of generative AI in this unit).
3
Other
Week 12 Monday (2 June 2025) 11:45 pm AEST
AEST
Two weeks after submission.
Each question will be graded out of 10 marks.
Grade 8.5 and above
Exceptionally clear and well-structured responses and examples. Ideas are communicated with precision. Demonstrates profound thinking and insightful analysis.
Grade 7.5 and above
Clear and organized responses and examples. Shows deep thinking and analysis.
Grade 6.5 and above
Generally clear responses and examples but may lack some organization. Displays some depth in thinking, but analysis may be limited.
Grade 5 and above
Basic clarity. Communication is somewhat clear, with room for improvement. Demonstrates a basic understanding but lacks significant depth in analysis.
Grade below 5
Lacks clarity and understanding. Superficial level response.
- Analyse individual and societal attitudes to psychoactive drug use, exploring historical, political, public health and media responses
- Examine why people use psychoactive drugs and identify the harms associated with drug use for some people in some circumstances
- Evaluate strategies to minimise the harm that may be associated with psychoactive drug use
3 Written Assessment
Scenario
You work as a Project Officer for a non-government organisation that addresses alcohol, tobacco, and other drug-related harm in your community. The goal is to enhance early intervention, improve care continuity, strengthen referral pathways, and reduce harm from substance use on individual, family, and community health.
Your role involves providing expert advice to colleagues, boosting their confidence in addressing substance use issues, and enhancing their understanding of and response to alcohol, and other drug (AOD)-related harm, particularly among priority populations. Additionally, you're responsible for briefing colleagues on current AOD-related topics in the news and social media. Lately, there have been several discussions among your colleagues about various issues related to substance use.
As part of your role as a Project Officer, create a three-page briefing for your colleagues on one of the following topics:
• Alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
• Prescription medication misuse among older adults.
• Vaping use among young people.
• Chem-sex within the LGBTQIA+ community
Your Assessment
Select one of the above topics to produce a three-page briefing (assume 500 words per page). A briefing paper is a concise document that summarizes key information and recommends solutions. It helps professionals to “grasp a situation”.
This briefing should comprise three parts:
Part One: Evidenced patterns of use and potential harm.
Part Two: An evidenced harm reduction response to the concern (maximum two responses).
Part Three: Professional reflection on the recommended response (based on Parts One and Two).
(Please refer to the Generative AI Permission document available on your Moodle site for guidelines on the acceptable and unacceptable use of generative AI in this unit).
Review/Exam Week Monday (9 June 2025) 11:45 pm AEST
AEST
Two weeks after submission
Students will be allocated marks based on the following criteria.
Organisation and Presentation (10%)
- Structure and flow of information
- Coherence and clarity of expression (spelling, grammar, syntax)
- Style and formatting
- Length
Referencing and Quality of Evidence (10%)
- Referencing is consistent and accurate (Harvard or APA style)
- Synthesis and integration of high-quality literature and other evidence
Evidenced patterns of use and potential harm (25%)
- High-level understanding of patterns of drug use and potential harm for chosen topic/priority group.
- High-level critical thinking.
Evidenced harm reduction response to the concern (maximum two responses) (25%)
- Identification of appropriate, evidence-based harm reduction response(s).
- High-level examination of the harm reduction response's overall impact and alignment with chosen topic/priority group.
Professional reflection on the recommended response (30%)
- High-level reflection on the potential challenges and opportunities in implementing the recommended response (s).
- Concise overview of key points.
A "Getting Started Tip Sheet" will be available for Assessment 3.
- Evaluate strategies to minimise the harm that may be associated with psychoactive drug use
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
