Tenterfield’s Community Drug Action Team (CDAT) utilised trivia in order to heighten awareness.

Consisting of three rounds over two hours and with the participation of 140 students the CDAT team highlighted drug and alcohol statistics.

It’s the first time the drug action team have run the event and Karen Mooney from Tenterfield Social Development Committee said the students had walked away with useful knowledge.

“I think they got a lot out of it – I’m pretty sure they thoroughly enjoyed it,” she said.

The CDAT committee worked in conjunction with the Tenterfield High School’s student support officer Roberta Koch and the Student Representative Council (SRC) to compile the questions, activities and prizes.

TSDC apply for a small grant each year to fund CDAT activities like the trivia day.

“The committee is formed by the Family and Youth Support Staff and supporting programs. The aim of the committee is to educate and inform the community around the adverse effects of drug and alcohol abuse,” Aleah Seary from TSDC said.

“In previous years the committee has helped fund youth discos, youth week activities and supported NAIDOC celebrations. Our current campaign in Tenterfield is ‘Stop the Supply’,” Ms Seary said.

Ms Mooney said that the trivia was a useful experiment and something they could use for other campaigns such as mental health.

“It was really just an info session and something for them to think about – it’s good information for them to have,” Karen said.

A spokesperson for the Australian Drug Foundation said that the benefits always outweigh the cost to run such programs.

“The case for AOD (alcohol and drug) education is this - young people need to be informed about these issues because they live in a world in which alcohol and drug use is everywhere.

“Even if young people don’t use these substances, AOD can affect their lives in a number of ways,” the spokesperson said.