Prevention and early intervention are based on the idea that intervening to stop a problem from occurring, or acting early to prevent an issue from getting worse, offers better and more cost-effective outcomes for our community. Alcohol and other drugs are a part of life in Australia, and not all alcohol and drug consumption is harmful. Coffee, medications and enjoying a glass or two of alcohol with friends and family are some examples of drug use that may not be harmful. However, we also need to understand that drug and alcohol use can, and does, cause a large amount of harm to our communities. These harms can include long term health issues, including mental health concerns, injury, violence, dependency, substance misuse and worst-case scenario, substance-related deaths. That's not to mention the other costs to society, such as the cost of healthcare and law enforcement as a result of drug or alcohol-related use or misuse. Effective prevention strategies can minimise disease burden by delaying the start of use, reducing problematic use and reducing the harms associated with alcohol and illicit drugs. This can also be called harm minimisation.