Friends share a hug overlooking small town

The Power of Words

Stigma in the form of language and actions can make people who use, or have used alcohol and other drugs, feel unwelcome and unsafe.

Stigma can stop people from seeking the services they need, which can negatively impact their health, wellbeing, employment and social outcomes.

Reduce stigma

The Power of Words contains evidence-informed advice on using non-stigmatising language, and features an easy-to-navigate, colour-coded directory of alternative words and phrases to suit a range of common scenarios. It’s important that consistent, appropriate language is used when speaking about alcohol and other drug use in all contexts, be it speaking directly to a client or through indirect communication to a broad audience.