Presentation Title: The Opal Success Story in Central Australian Aboriginal Communities Session Title: A Framework and Creative International Approaches for Substance Regulation Thread and Session Number: Capacity Building Approaches (CB4)

• Main Author: Maggie Kavanagh
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: www.issuesofsubstance.ca | www.questionsdesubstance.ca; Canada; inuit
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.604.6929; http://www.questionsdesubstance.ca/sitecollectiondocuments/2007 ios documents/maggiekavanagh.pdf

British Petroleum (BP) in Australia has developed non-sniffable unleaded petrol called 'Opal 'to combat petrol sniffing in Aboriginal communities. Opal lacks the aromatic hydrocarbons and tetraethyl lead that induces a 'high ' when sniffed and is an important tool in reducing the incidence of petrol sniffing. Opal was introduced in 2005 and is subsidized by the Australian government. It has been rolled out throughout a substantial region of central Australia and will fully replace regular unleaded fuel in all Alice Springs service stations. The rates of petrol sniffing have fallen dramatically where Opal is in place. Many communities report a significant reduction in the numbers of youth petrol sniffing. Opal is an example of a successful supply substitution strategy that addresses the core issue of availability. A cost benefit analysis report on Opal by Access Economics Pty Ltd show base case petrol sniffing benefits of $53.7 million per annum and base case Opal rollout costs of $26.6 million, producing a net gain of $27.1 million. The success to date of the rollout of Opal is a positive initiative that has had an enormous impact on reducing the levels of petrol sniffing on Aboriginal communities. It is a story that needs to be told and shared. Opal has provided hope for many Aboriginal people in central Australia that petrol sniffing can be significantly decreased. It has the potential of being replicated in First Nation and Inuit communities in Canada. Firstly I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of this country, the Cree people, whose land I stand on here in Edmonton and to thank the Canadian Council on Substance Abuse for selecting my abstract. I also wish to acknowledge the funding I received from the Australian Education Rehabilitation