HomeHow does climate change impact people who use substances?

How does climate change impact people who use substances?

We report here on a scoping review conducted to identify impacts of climate change for people who use alcohol and other drugs (AoD), as reflected in peer reviewed literature. Increased AoD use is most frequently reported after exposure to a climate change-associated event, with smaller numbers of papers showing decreased or unchanged substance use. Other impacts are: unplanned withdrawal, changed drug markets, disrupted service access, specific physiological vulnerabilities of AoD users to extreme heat, and compounding effects on mental health. Few studies investigate impacts of climate change on AoD use in low-and middle-income countries or impacts that occur because of long-term or gradual climatic shifts, such as environmental changes with deleterious effects on livelihoods. We need to document effects of a changing climate on people who use AoD so that policy and services can meet evolving future needs.

Sarah MacLean | Professor, La Trobe University

Sarah is a professor in Social Work and Social Policy and is affiliated with the Centre for Alcohol Policy Research at La Trobe University. She has published extensively on alcohol, inhalant use, gambling and services for young people engaged with AoD services. Sarah has a long-standing collaboration with YSAS.