tag:theconversation.com,2011:/global/topics/ice-use-18140/articlesIce use – The Conversation2019-02-11T19:16:07Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1115252019-02-11T19:16:07Z2019-02-11T19:16:07ZI Need to Know: ‘My friend is using ice and smoking pot. What do I do?’<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/258149/original/file-20190211-174861-sgjkf9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">It can be tricky to know what to do when someone you care about starts taking drugs.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/just-so-you-know-the-conversation-launches-a-qanda-service-for-teens-103432">I Need to Know</a> is an ongoing series for teens in search of reliable, confidential advice about life’s tricky questions.</em></p>
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<p>My friend is using ice and smoking dope. He says it makes him feel good like his medication doesn’t. His parents know but don’t know what to do. I am worried, as he has stopped being chatty and is not going out or doing anything. He is changing, but worse.</p>
<p>– Anonymous</p>
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<p>Working out what to do when you are worried about a friend who is using drugs can be tricky. Just asking the question shows what a supportive friend you are and that’s a very good start.</p>
<p>There’s not one right way to approach it. There are many ways to help and support your friend.</p>
<p>Remember, they might not see their drug use as a problem (from what you have said it sounds like they view it as a solution rather than a problem). </p>
<p>You can’t force your friend to do anything they don’t want to do. In the end, it needs to be their decision to change, but there’s lots you can do to support and encourage them.</p>
<h2>How do you know if it’s a problem?</h2>
<p>One thing to remember is that most <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/illicit-use-of-drugs/ndshs-2016-detailed/contents/table-of-contents">people who use drugs</a> only use occasionally for a short time in their lives and won’t develop a serious issue.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/many-people-use-drugs-but-heres-why-most-dont-become-addicts-35504">Many people use drugs – but here’s why most don’t become addicts</a>
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<p>People take drugs for lots of <a href="https://theconversation.com/in-debates-about-drug-use-fun-is-important-110696">different reasons</a>, including because it is fun or it makes them feel good, to “escape” from problems, and to make physical (like pain) or emotional (like anxiety) problems go away (sometimes referred to as “self-medicating”).</p>
<p>If your friend is using drugs regularly it’s more likely they’ll be having negative effects. <a href="https://au.reachout.com/articles/how-to-tell-if-you-have-a-drug-problem">Signs</a> that drug use is becoming a problem include: </p>
<ul>
<li>using weekly or more</li>
<li>giving up activities they used to enjoy to use or recover from drugs</li>
<li>missing school or work or becoming unreliable</li>
<li>needing to use more and more to get the same effect.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Raising the issue</h2>
<p>One of the best pieces of advice anyone has given me came from a person who was supporting a family member who was using drugs. She said, “think about what you would do if drugs weren’t involved”. How would you approach your friend if they were doing anything else that worried you?</p>
<p>Also think about what you would like your friends to do or say if you were doing something they were worried about.</p>
<p>Find a time to talk when you’re both clear headed, you’re somewhere private and you have plenty of time. You don’t need to make it formal, just make sure the setting is good for a sensitive chat when you raise the issue.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/258134/original/file-20190211-174861-1dsex1e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/258134/original/file-20190211-174861-1dsex1e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258134/original/file-20190211-174861-1dsex1e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258134/original/file-20190211-174861-1dsex1e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258134/original/file-20190211-174861-1dsex1e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258134/original/file-20190211-174861-1dsex1e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258134/original/file-20190211-174861-1dsex1e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Just raising the issue and listening is helpful.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
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<p>Think about what you want to say beforehand so you are prepared.</p>
<p>It doesn’t usually <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64353/table/A56963/">help</a> to plead, persuade, preach, bribe, guilt-trip or threaten (for example, “if you keep using, I will…”). Try not to speak in a judgemental or critical tone of voice, it usually just creates resistance.</p>
<p>Give them time to talk and don’t cut them off. A rule of thumb I use is they should be talking half the time or more. Ask questions that show your concern rather than telling them what to do. You might say something like: </p>
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<p>You don’t seem to want to go out much anymore. We really miss hanging out with you. Is everything ok?</p>
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<p>Or more direct: </p>
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<p>I know drugs make you feel better when your medication doesn’t but I’m really worried about you and want to make sure you are OK.</p>
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<p>If your friend doesn’t want to talk about it, it doesn’t help to take it personally or to argue the point with them. It can be a hard thing for people to talk about and they may need some time. </p>
<p>Let them know that you’re there to listen and support if they need it. If they know you’re open, they’re more likely to talk later. Just raising the issue and listening without judgement is helpful.</p>
<h2>Other things you can do</h2>
<p>How and how much you help is up to you. You might try to help your friend in practical ways, you might decide to just provide support and listen, or you might decide to step back and have less contact with them.</p>
<p>It’s OK if helping them becomes too much for you. You also need to look after yourself. It can be very hard seeing someone you love with problems. At times you might feel frustrated and helpless, like it’s impossible to get through to them. You might need to be patient because it can be <a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-what-makes-it-so-hard-to-quit-drugs-69896">hard to give up</a> drugs once they have become a habit.</p>
<p>If you choose to provide a lot of help and support, you might want to talk to someone, such as a psychologist or counsellor, yourself.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/258135/original/file-20190211-174864-1rjxz9k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/258135/original/file-20190211-174864-1rjxz9k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258135/original/file-20190211-174864-1rjxz9k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258135/original/file-20190211-174864-1rjxz9k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258135/original/file-20190211-174864-1rjxz9k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258135/original/file-20190211-174864-1rjxz9k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258135/original/file-20190211-174864-1rjxz9k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Encourage your friend to participate in drug and alcohol-free activities.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
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</figure>
<p>Encourage them to engage in activities with you and your other friends that don’t involve alcohol or other drugs. <a href="https://adf.org.au/about/prevention/">Staying connected</a> with friends who don’t use drugs can help prevent the problem from getting worse.</p>
<p>Try to keep them as safe as possible. Don’t leave them alone in a potentially dangerous situation (like walking home late at night or at a party) because you’re frustrated or angry at them for using drugs. Call an adult you trust to help if you need to, or an ambulance if they look unwell.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ice-age-who-has-used-crystal-meth-and-why-23031">Ice age: who has used crystal meth – and why?</a>
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<p>If things are getting worse it’s OK to suggest professional help. If they’re open to getting help, ask them what they want to do. You could say something like, “what do you think would be most helpful to you?”, or “would it help to speak to a trusted adult/school counsellor/doctor?” You could offer to go with them for support.</p>
<p>You could also see if the parents need some professional advice, and give them some of the numbers below. It might be helpful for your friend or their parents to talk to the doctor who prescribed their medication – the dose and effects might need to be reviewed.</p>
<h2>Where to get help</h2>
<p>There are many options for both you or your friend to talk to someone about your worries. Here are some of the main ones:</p>
<p><a href="https://www.counsellingonline.org.au">CounsellingOnline</a> is a free online chat for concerns about alcohol and other drug. Anyone can use it – people using drugs and people wanting to help friends or family using drugs.</p>
<p><a href="https://headspace.org.au/eheadspace/">headspace and eheadspace</a> provide face to face and online/telephone support for mental health issues for people aged 12-25.</p>
<p><a href="https://kidshelpline.com.au/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8ILJr7Sy4AIVjSQrCh0dEgIsEAAYASAAEgLFUvD_BwE">Kids helpline</a> is a free telephone counselling service on any issue for children and young adults aged between 5 and 25. They can be reached at 1800 55 1800.</p>
<p>YSAS (<a href="http://www.ysas.org.au/">Youth Support and Advocacy Service</a>) is a youth alcohol and other drugs support organisation in Victoria. They have face to face and telephone services and a good info on their website. Their number is 1800 458 685.</p>
<p><a href="https://campaigns.health.gov.au/drughelp/resources/images/infographic-national-alcohol-and-other-drug-hotline">National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline</a> is a free telephone information and counselling service similar to CounselingOnline, but on the phone. They can be reached at 1800 250 015.</p>
<p>Family helplines are telephone counselling services for friends and families of people who use drugs. Alcohol, prescription and other drug family support (<a href="https://apod.org.au/">APOD</a>) can be reached at (03) 9723 8000, <a href="http://www.fds.org.au/">Family Drug Support Australia</a> at 1300 368 186, and Family Drug Help at 1300 660 068.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-does-ice-use-affect-families-and-what-can-they-do-41186">How does ice use affect families and what can they do?</a>
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<p><em>This article has been updated since publication to correct an incorrect hotline number for the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/111525/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nicole Lee works as a paid consultant in the alcohol and other drug sector, and as a psychologist in private practice. She has previously been awarded grants by state and federal governments, NHMRC and other public funding bodies for alcohol and other drug research.</span></em></p>It can be really tricky to know what to do when someone you care about starts using drugs. Raising the issue and listening without judgement is a good place to start.Nicole Lee, Professor at the National Drug Research Institute (Melbourne), Curtin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/882482018-01-22T19:07:02Z2018-01-22T19:07:02ZIce psychosis: what is it, and why do only some users get it?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/201268/original/file-20180109-83550-10dw76k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">It doesn't matter if you're male, female, young or old, the major risk factor for ice induced psychosis is how much you use it and how addicted you are.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>There is growing concern about crystal methamphetamine (ice) use in Australia and internationally, in part because of the psychological effects of the drug. Although most people who use ice do not experience psychological problems, <a href="http://journals.lww.com/co-psychiatry/Abstract/2016/07000/Psychosis_induced_by_amphetamines.3.aspx">about one in three people</a> who use it regularly report experiencing psychosis in their lifetime. </p>
<p>Research also suggests that up to <a href="https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-016-0745-5">30%</a> of people who experience ice psychosis go on to develop a long-term psychotic illness such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0004867417748750">Our new study</a> aimed to find out why some ice users are more likely to experience psychosis than others.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ice-causes-death-in-many-ways-overdose-is-just-one-of-them-81752">Ice causes death in many ways, overdose is just one of them</a>
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<h2>So what is ice psychosis?</h2>
<p>Psychosis refers to a range of mental health symptoms, including suspiciousness and paranoia, hallucinations, and unusual or agitated behaviour. Individuals often lose touch with reality, and may not have an understanding of what is happening to them. This can be very distressing for the individual and for their family and friends, and may result in the person having to go to hospital. </p>
<p>Psychosis can occur as part of many different mental health disorders, or be triggered by a range of drugs. Amphetamine-type stimulant drugs, such as ice, are particularly known to potentially trigger psychosis. In the 1970s, amphetamines administered in <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/490932">experimental situations</a> were shown to cause psychotic symptoms in healthy people who had never used the drug before. </p>
<p>In Australia, ice is the drug that most commonly results in <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/276065432_The_role_of_methamphetamines_in_psychosis-related_ambulance_presentations">ambulance attendances</a> for psychosis symptoms. And <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dar.12426/full">hospital admissions</a> for ice psychosis have increased steeply in the past ten years. </p>
<p>These patterns of increasing harms have paralleled the increase in the purity of ice and <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2016/204/4/estimating-number-regular-and-dependent-methamphetamine-users-australia-2002">increasing dependence</a>. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/weekly-dose-ice-and-speed-the-drugs-that-kept-soldiers-awake-and-a-president-young-61002">Weekly Dose: ice and speed, the drugs that kept soldiers awake and a president young</a>
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<h2>What did the study find?</h2>
<p>We know the majority of people who use ice don’t experience psychosis. So we <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0004867417748750">looked at 20 existing studies</a> examining more than 5,000 regular ice users to try to find out what factors made someone more at risk of psychosis. </p>
<p>We found the frequency and amount of methamphetamine use, and the severity of dependence, were the factors most commonly associated with the risk of psychosis. Unfortunately, the design of the studies, and the different ways in which they measured the frequency and amount of methamphetamine use, mean we can’t estimate exactly how much an increase in use will result in an increase in risk. </p>
<p>Other risk factors included a family history of a psychotic disorder, and current use of other drugs, including cannabis and alcohol. While <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0376871614009697">one study</a> found a link between a history of traumatic experiences in childhood and the experience of ice psychosis, more research needs to be done. </p>
<p>Just as important were factors that were <em>not</em> associated with ice psychosis – for example, age, gender, income or employment status. Interestingly, the way in which people used methamphetamine – by smoking versus injecting, for instance – did not appear to affect the likelihood of psychosis.</p>
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<p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-methamphetamine-use-and-addiction-in-australia-13280">Explainer: methamphetamine use and addiction in Australia</a>
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<h2>Better treatment would make the difference</h2>
<p>It’s important to remember almost all of the research on this topic has been cross-sectional. This means measurements of psychotic symptoms and measurements of risk factors have occurred at the same time – so we don’t know which causes the other, only that they’re related. </p>
<p>The best way to study risk factors for ice psychosis would be to follow people from before they start using the drug, to when they develop the problem. But this sort of study is very difficult to conduct when it comes to drug use. Differences in the way researchers measure psychosis, or measure methamphetamine use, also affect how we understand the relationship between the two. </p>
<p>Taken together, the main finding of our study was that people who used the drug more often and were more dependent on it were more likely to experience psychosis. While this might appear obvious, it does help healthcare workers and treatment services identify people who might be at greatest risk. </p>
<p>Similarly, for people who aren’t ready to stop using the drug, changing the frequency or pattern of their use might help them avoid developing psychosis. </p>
<p>More broadly, the key message from our research is better treatment of ice use would translate to a reduction in harms from the drug. The challenge remains making sure effective treatment is available when people are ready and willing to access it.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/88248/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Shalini Arunogiri receives funding from the National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC), and has received fellowships from the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) and the Windermere Foundation.
Shalini is also the Chair of the Faculty of Addiction Psychiatry at the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP). </span></em></p>A new study has looked at why some ice users suffer psychosis and others don’t.Shalini Arunogiri, Addiction Psychiatrist, Lecturer, Monash UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/491412015-12-07T19:15:21Z2015-12-07T19:15:21ZWill Australia’s response to ice be effective?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/99316/original/image-20151022-8013-qvh02i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Attempts to disrupt the supply of ice have helped reveal the nature of the problem in Australia.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">AAP/Tom Campagnoni</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The Australian Crime Commission (ACC) has <a href="https://www.crimecommission.gov.au/node/580">identified</a> crystal methamphetamine, or ice, as the highest risk of all illicit drugs available in Australia. But will the government’s <a href="http://health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/ice">response to</a> the issues set out in the National Ice Taskforce’s <a href="https://www.dpmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/publications/national_ice_taskforce_final_report.pdf">final report</a> be effective in tackling the problem?</p>
<h2>Australia’s ice problem</h2>
<p>The report presents a comprehensive picture of ice in Australia. It draws on mounting evidence in an attempt to justify a full-bodied response to the problem.</p>
<p>The report suggests there are more than 200,000 ice users in Australia – but it notes that this figure is likely conservative. </p>
<p>According to the <a href="http://www.aihw.gov.au/alcohol-and-other-drugs/ndshs/">National Drug Strategy Household Survey</a>, levels of methamphetamine use have remained stable since 2010. However, new evidence presented to the taskforce from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) suggests the use of ice by regular and dependent users has increased each year from 2009 through to 2014. </p>
<p>The taskforce observed higher levels of use in young people, the unemployed and LGBTI people. The taskforce suggests the integral role of social networks in supply and distribution are leading to ice’s “normalisation” within user groups. It has also been flagged as an emergent issue for Indigenous, regional and remote communities, and possibly inmate populations. </p>
<p>Other notable <a href="http://www.aihw.gov.au/alcohol-and-other-drugs/ndshs/">trend changes</a> include a 22% decrease in use of methamphetamine’s powder forms since 2010. This was associated with a doubling in ice use to more than 50% of the 2.1% reporting use in the general population in 2013. </p>
<p>A <a href="http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph-58.pdf">Melbourne study</a> corroborated these findings. It indicated that users reported a transition from powder to crystal forms. Weekly or more frequent ice use increased by 10%. Consumption frequency of powder forms declined. </p>
<p>NDARC <a href="https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/news/methamphetamine-deaths-increase-across-australia-and-ice-use-jumps-52-cent-among-people-who">reported</a> that injecting behaviours have also become more prevalent nationally. Ice use among injecting drug users has increased by 52% in the past decade. The most common routes of administration are smoking and injecting – both of which are closely linked with <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4158843/">developing dependence</a> and other health risks.</p>
<p>Dependent ice users have complex physical and mental health needs, which the health sector is meeting at the coalface. The Australian Medical Association has <a href="https://ama.com.au/edit-newsletter/ama-calls-hospitals-and-health-services-be-properly-resourced-deal-ice-patients">called for</a> resources to better support and equip health workers who are experiencing the increased severity of ice-related health conditions. The need to improve supports for frontline services is a recurrent theme in the taskforce’s report.</p>
<p>Ice has proven itself to be a challenging opponent in the face of amplified law enforcement efforts. Attempts to disrupt its supply have helped to reveal the nature of the problem. ACC <a href="https://crimecommission.gov.au/publications/intelligence-products/illicit-drug-data-report/illicit-drug-data-report-2013-14">data</a> shows that, excluding MDMA, the number of amphetamine-type substances (ATS) detected at the border reached record heights in 2013-14, as did national ATS seizures and arrests in the same period. </p>
<p>Within this data, ice emerged as a standout. The number and weight of detections grew at a considerably greater rate than other ATS detections.</p>
<p>In tackling this problem, the prevailing message from across sectors has been that the government must learn from experience and avoid adopting a blinkered law enforcement approach. Rather, the response must be measured, multifaceted and generate substantive policy through a fair allocation of resources. </p>
<h2>What the taskforce recommended</h2>
<p>The taskforce is just one of many recent Australian governmental responses to ice. Others include a <a href="http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/57th-parliament/lrdcpc/inquiry/367">Victorian parliamentary inquiry</a> in 2014 and a current <a href="http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Law_Enforcement/Crystal_methamphetamine">federal joint parliamentary committee inquiry</a>. </p>
<p>These other inquiries have primarily focused on law enforcement efforts. The taskforce, however, focused on opportunities to improve education, health, law enforcement and other policies across all levels of government.</p>
<p>In its final report, the taskforce identifies five areas of priority, and it makes 38 recommendations to address these. The five areas are:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>prioritising support for families, workers and communities to better respond to people affected by ice;</p></li>
<li><p>increasing efforts to reduce demand for ice through prevention activities;</p></li>
<li><p>recognising that ice users need treatment and support services that cater to their needs;</p></li>
<li><p>disrupting drug trafficking and supply networks through a more co-ordinated and targeted approach; and</p></li>
<li><p>a more rigorous approach to research and regular reporting is needed to strengthen Australia’s response and keep it on track.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>The report echoes the comments of senior police officers from <a href="http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/crime-and-justice/mount-isa-pushes-for-night-curfew-evictions-to-tackle-crime-spike/news-story/13c8e194677d6202cf0b91c2b94b332a?=&login=1">Queensland</a>, <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-04/police-can27t-27arrest-their-way-out27-of-growing-problem-of/5718956">Tasmania</a> and the <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/police-work-cant-slow-supply-of-ice-says-afp/story-fn59niix-1227422471968?login=1">Australian Federal Police</a> that Australia cannot just arrest its way out of the war on ice.</p>
<p>The taskforce notes that the ice market has been extraordinarily resilient due to
manufacturing processes, ease of transport, the dichotomy of local crime syndicates as producers and the influence of transnational crime groups as importers.</p>
<p>Additionally, the taskforce recognises the lack of mature collaboration and co-ordination arrangements between Commonwealth, state and territory law enforcement agencies. Its report observes that challenges remain in ensuring a unified response and the timely exchange of intelligence in relation to ice.</p>
<h2>Will it work?</h2>
<p>The taskforce acknowledges that this war will not be won overnight and will not be won by law enforcement alone. It recognises that practical programs and supportive funding need to be put in place to address those already using ice and those susceptible to using it. </p>
<p>Having identified where the stakeholders are failing, the challenge will be to get them to recognise these failings and move forward in a spirit of co-operation.</p>
<p>The report argues that the Australian government needs to:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>… introduce a simplified governance model to support greater cohesion and coordination of law enforcement, health, education and other responses to drug misuse in Australia, with a direct line of authority to relevant ministers responsible for contributing to a national approach.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The taskforce has presented a framework for tackling the multiple issues ice presents for Australian society. It is now in government’s hands to take this framework and implement real initiatives to have any chance of success.</p>
<hr>
<p><em><strong>Further reading: <a href="https://theconversation.com/ice-report-marks-a-welcome-shift-in-thinking-towards-prevention-and-treatment-51723">Ice report marks a welcome shift in thinking towards prevention and treatment</a></strong></em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/49141/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>To tackle the ice problem, the government must learn from experience and avoid adopting a blinkered law enforcement approach.Terry Goldsworthy, Assistant Professor in Criminology, Bond UniversityLaura McGillivray, Adjunct Teaching Fellow, Faculty of Society and Design, Bond UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/461342015-08-21T02:01:02Z2015-08-21T02:01:02ZFactCheck: is ice more dangerous and addictive than any other illegal drug?<blockquote>
<p>Ice is the worst drug scourge Australia has faced. It is far more potent, far more dangerous, and far more addictive than any other illegal drug. – Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Liberal Party of Australia <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/208366/original/file-20180301-36680-1yeyv2u.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format">email</a> to subscribers, August 13, 2015.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>“Ice” is the crystalline form of methamphetamine. The other main forms of methamphetamine are “speed” (a powder) and “base” (a paste). They all have the same chemical structure but differ in <a href="https://www.burnet.edu.au/publications/3519_high_frequency_drug_purity_and_price_series_as_tools_for_explaining_drug_trends_and_harms_in_victoria_australia">potency and purity</a>, with ice typically three to four times stronger than speed but the purity of all forms depends on how it is made. </p>
<p>It is worth testing the prime minister’s comments, made as he announced new funding for the Australian Crime Commission to tackle ice, against the evidence. </p>
<h2>Is it the worst drug scourge Australia has faced?</h2>
<p>Mr Abbott’s office did not respond to requests for data to support his statement. </p>
<p>Terms like “worst” and “scourge” are subjective and not checkable, so it is not possible to test this part of the statement against a data set.</p>
<p>But we do know that ice is not the most widely used illicit drug and the percentage of the population using has not increased over at least the last decade. However, harms have increased substantially among people already using.</p>
<p>According to the latest <a href="http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129549848">population statistics</a>, 2.1% of the population reported using methamphetamine in the 12 months prior to the survey, which was conducted in 2013. This includes people who have used once in a year and those who use every day. This statistic has remained stable for at least the last 10 years, so there does not appear to be a huge increase in new users. </p>
<p>As a comparison, just over 10% of the population report using cannabis in the last year, 4.7% pharmaceuticals (for non-medical purposes), 2.5% ecstasy (MDMA) and 2.1% cocaine.</p>
<p>The same data show that about half of methamphetamine users prefer ice over other forms. The proportion of users who use ice as their main form of methamphetamine has doubled since 2010 - from 22% of users to 50% of users. This suggests that regular users are switching from speed to ice. </p>
<p>In addition, these data show that existing users are using more frequently, with a larger percentage of users reporting using weekly or daily, but a lower quantity. As a result of these changes, we have seen an increase in <a href="https://theconversation.com/ice-epidemic-or-not-heavier-use-and-higher-purity-is-increasing-harms-40687">harms associated with methamphetamine use</a>.</p>
<h2>Is it far more dangerous?</h2>
<p>It is difficult to compare drugs in terms of severity. <a href="http://www.aihw.gov.au/alcohol-and-other-drugs/ndshs/">Fewer people</a> use ice than alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, ecstasy and pharmaceuticals for non-medical purposes; 2.1% of Australians are methamphetamine users (1% use ice), while 80% are alcohol users and 10% are cannabis users.</p>
<p>Alcohol is still the major drug-related reason for <a href="http://www.turningpoint.org.au/site/DefaultSite/filesystem/documents/Ambo%20Report%20-%20trends%20in%20alcohol%20and%20drug%20related%20ambulance%20attendances%202013-14%281%29.pdf">ambulance call-outs</a> and still results in the most <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-daily-alcohol-toll-15-deaths-and-430-hospitalisations-29906">deaths and illnesses</a> every year compared to other drugs. However, the prime minister was not comparing ice to legal drugs like alcohol – he said it was more dangerous “than any other illegal drug”.</p>
<p>In Victoria, there are an average of 4.7 methaphetamine-related <a href="http://www.turningpoint.org.au/site/DefaultSite/filesystem/documents/Ambo%20Report%20-%20trends%20in%20alcohol%20and%20drug%20related%20ambulance%20attendances%202013-14%281%29.pdf">ambulance attendances</a> a day (3.4 of those for ice) and about 87% of those cases are transported to hospital. This is less than alcohol (34 attendances per day), benzodiazepines (8.3 attendances per day) and heroin (5.1 attendances per day). And it is similar to cannabis, with 4.4 attendances a day and around 86% transported to hospital.</p>
<p>Among illegal drugs, heroin and other opioids are typically involved in the most deaths, even though fewer people use them compared to other substances. Methamphetamine, including “ice”, has the second-highest <a href="http://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2013/july/illicit-drug-overdose/">death rate</a> among illegal drugs.</p>
<p>In Australia, according to the <a href="https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/ndarc/resources/Cocaine%20and%20Methamphetamine%20related%20drug-induced%20deaths%20in%20Australia%2C%202011.pdf">latest accurate data</a>, there were 101 deaths involving methamphetamine with 20% of those attributed solely to methamphetamine (the rest involved a mix of drugs) compared to 617 deaths involving heroin. However, the trend seems to signal increasing deaths with methamphetamine, while heroin deaths are projected to remain stable.</p>
<p>One of the biggest harms from illicit drugs comes from the fact that they are illegal. Methamphetamine is manufactured using different methods and ingredients and vary widely in <a href="https://www.burnet.edu.au/publications/3519_high_frequency_drug_purity_and_price_series_as_tools_for_explaining_drug_trends_and_harms_in_victoria_australia">purity and potency</a> depending how it is made and who makes it.</p>
<h2>Is it far more addictive?</h2>
<p>The dependence potential of any drug depends on a number of factors, including the drug itself, the person who is using it and how it is used. It is difficult to get a precise measure of how “addictive” a drug is, but using methamphetamine three to four times a week or more is likely to be a sign of dependence.</p>
<p>Among people who have used any form of methamphetamine in the last year, around 15% used <a href="http://www.aihw.gov.au/alcohol-and-other-drugs/ndshs/">at least weekly</a>. This is higher among ice users with about 25% using weekly or more.</p>
<p>How does this compare to other drugs? In 2007, <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2807%2960464-4/abstract">The Lancet</a> published a paper that compared the dependence potential of a range of drugs, including amphetamines. The paper concluded that heroin and cocaine among the illicit drugs, and tobacco, barbiturates, alcohol and benzodiazepines among the legally available drugs, are more likely to produce dependence than amphetamines.</p>
<h2>Verdict</h2>
<p>Methamphetamine is a drug that can cause substantial harms. Potency is difficult to compare between drugs, so it is not possible to confirm the accuracy of this statement. </p>
<p>However, it is an overstatement to say that ice is far more addictive and far more dangerous than other illicit drugs. </p>
<p>While we certainly need to address the harms associated with methamphetamine use, we should keep in mind that our most widely used drug – alcohol - still results in more harms to individuals and the community, and other illicit drugs are also associated with more harms.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Review</h2>
<p>This is overall a balanced and sensible article. However, I would be more reserved about the statement referring to the <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2807%2960464-4/abstract">paper</a> in The Lancet (2007). That paper, which focused on the harmfulness of drugs, was an exploration of expert opinion. There remains considerable division about the addictiveness of crystal methamphetamine, with many experts viewing it as top of the range for both harm and addictiveness. The basic science of it remains in dispute. – <strong>Michael Farrell</strong></p>
<hr>
<p><div class="callout"> Have you ever seen a “fact” that doesn’t look quite right? The Conversation’s FactCheck asks academic experts to test claims and see how true they are. We then ask a second academic to review an anonymous copy of the article. You can request a check at checkit@theconversation.edu.au. Please include the statement you would like us to check, the date it was made, and a link if possible.</div></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/46134/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nicole Lee receives funding from a range of government and non-government organisations as a consultant to help services respond to ice users. She is Director of The LeeJenn Group consultancy and President of the Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michael Farrell is and Director of the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) at UNSW Australia. NDARC is funded by the Drugs Strategy Branch of the federal Department of Health.</span></em></p>Prime Minister Tony Abbott has said ice is far more potent, far more dangerous, and far more addictive than any other illegal drug. Is that supported by the data?Nicole Lee, Professor at the National Drug Research Institute, Curtin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/427102015-06-28T20:02:18Z2015-06-28T20:02:18ZFocus on illicit drugs puts Australia’s drinking problem on ice<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/86198/original/image-20150624-801-dy8d0r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Our current focus on the drug ice takes the spotlight away from the harms of excessive alcohol use, which is actually a bigger problem in Australia.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/fensterbme/4595195627/">Photographer/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Recent discussions of Australia’s “<a href="http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/subscribe/news/1/index.html?sourceCode=AAWEB_WRE170_a&mode=premium&dest=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/ice-epidemic-gripping-australia-is-ruining-lives-and-destroying-families/story-fnpp66pk-1227355705459&memtype=anonymous">ice epidemic</a>” have culminated in a <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-10/federal-government-launches-graphic-ice-ad-campaign/6457810">A$9 million</a> government-funded media campaign <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-10/government-launches-ad-campaign-in-ice-battle/6456800">to raise community awareness</a> of the drug’s harms, particularly in rural areas. We do need to address the harms of illicit drugs, but, in doing so, we mustn’t overlook the greater social impact of excessive alcohol consumption. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://theconversation.com/are-we-in-the-midst-of-an-ice-epidemic-a-snapshot-of-meth-use-in-australia-39697">number of commentators</a> have cautioned about the possible negative effects of <a href="https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/no-ice-epidemic--but-lots-of-political-fear-mongering,7578">government fear-mongering</a> on parents, families and communities. Experts have also highlighted the substantial evidence that drug education campaigns <a href="https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/no-ice-epidemic--but-lots-of-political-fear-mongering,7578">are, at best, ineffective</a> and, at worst, encourage experimentation. </p>
<p>But another – largely unremarked on – negative outcome of the strong focus on ice is that it takes the spotlight away from the harms of excessive alcohol use, which is actually a bigger problem in Australia. A reported 2.1% of Australians have used <a href="http://www.aihw.gov.au/alcohol-and-other-drugs/ndshs-2013/ch5/#t5_4">some form of methamphetamine</a> in the last 12 months while 15.6% of people aged 12 or older have consumed <a href="http://www.aihw.gov.au/alcohol-and-other-drugs/ndshs-2013/ch4/#t4_6">11 or more standard drinks</a> on a single drinking occasion in the same period. </p>
<h2>A polarised debate</h2>
<p>In what appears to have become a battle between those concerned about the different substances, we are increasingly seeing a debate polarised around which drug is worse, illustrated well by <a href="http://victorianalcoholanddrugassociationinc.cmail20.com/t/ViewEmail/j/8DC95E16EE7507EE/AD02CF30D6CC59A827D1E72AD0FD8334">this article</a> in the Herald Sun, arguing that ice is a bigger problem than alcohol:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Yes, there are those who are addicted to alcohol and the consequences of that addiction can ruin lives. But when was the last time an alcoholic shot his girlfriend in the head in a fit of rage?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The thing is, drunk people do kill their spouses, and they appear to do so in droves. Of the 1,565 solved homicides in Australia between 2000 and 2006, 729 (47%) were <a href="http://aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/361-380/tandi372.html">classified as alcohol-related</a>. Both people had consumed alcohol in 60% of these cases, only the offender in 21%, and only the victim in 19%. Of the homicides involving an intimate partner relationship, between 2000 and 2006, 44% were related to alcohol.</p>
<p>In 2011 alone, there were <a href="http://www.fare.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/01-ALCOHOLS-IMPACT-ON-CHILDREN-AND-FAMILIES-web.pdf">29,684 police-reported incidents</a> of alcohol-related domestic violence in the four states and territories where this data is available (NSW, Victoria, WA and NT). When you add to that the other states, and the many cases of domestic violence that go unreported, the scale of the problem becomes enormous. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/86204/original/image-20150624-827-tnspha.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/86204/original/image-20150624-827-tnspha.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=359&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/86204/original/image-20150624-827-tnspha.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=359&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/86204/original/image-20150624-827-tnspha.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=359&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/86204/original/image-20150624-827-tnspha.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/86204/original/image-20150624-827-tnspha.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/86204/original/image-20150624-827-tnspha.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">People who consume the same news have similar perceptions of risk even if they live in different areas.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/49093093@N02/4638656232/in/photolist-84UjTA-aFVwvH-sLyQX3-6QcFY-6iBan-aGHytD-dVvjh3-aBvstD-6t4JV6-oBn8N-4jNB1g-5TncTG-3tDrdx-8cQaeq-dQQsRY-4qQTkH-dzzVQe-AuPPH-8U4Nfe-bV4gj-ky2n4a-8pQZ6T-Pm13f-7nW6xt-5pe22p-aigW2k-33ymwS-29RDYm-rqSVYU-fmAaA2-4sfYJw-8xoTd3-cobm1b-3RM6Zk-mBBzQQ-f3BcR-4eTn9u-5KzEsL-MAjbH-5gYmEk-bCsChu-c8sKMu-8RAZk7-fH8p6c-nDr7-r5geXo-9fZT8a-4naTz-6cPpbt-nT1bht">Teresa Avellanosa/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>What’s more, data from the 2005 Personal Safety Survey <a href="http://www.fare.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/The-Range-and-Magnitude-of-Alcohols-Harm-to-Others.pdf">suggests that alcohol</a> contributes to 50.3% of all partner violence, and 73% of physical partner assaults.</p>
<p>So why do we think ice kills and alcohol doesn’t?</p>
<h2>The wrong shortcut</h2>
<p>The answer lies in a mental shortcut known as the <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0010028573900339">availability heuristic</a>, which helps us make decisions. It helps determine the likelihood of an event by how easily examples of that event come to mind. </p>
<p>The process works really well when we’re deciding what to wear in the morning (how many people can I remember seeing in the office this week in thongs?) but can lead to important biases in the way we make decisions. </p>
<p>Studies show media coverage has a significant impact on what we perceive as risky. Consider this example: a survey of <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1539-6924.1994.tb00024.x/abstract">people living in France and Burkina Faso</a> conducted 20 years ago found they shared similar perceptions of the risks in their community – despite their fundamentally different geography, climates, environments and economies. The common factor was that both groups read magazines and newspapers originating in France. </p>
<p>The media have an enormous impact on how “available” a cause of death is in our minds, and may create a false sense of reality. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1381061/">An analysis of the proportion of news coverage</a> of different causes of death in the United States, for instance, found tobacco-related deaths were under-represented (less than a quarter of the expected coverage) but illicit drug use deaths were over-represented (more than 17 times the expected coverage).</p>
<p>This positioning of illicit drugs – in this instance, ice – as a great and immediate risk to young people confuses parents and leads to the oft-heard lament “at least they are only drinking”.</p>
<p>The media have a role to play in creating – and correcting – the effects on communities, including politicians, of the availability heuristic. Perhaps we need to remind people that the reason ice-related homicides are on the front page of the newspaper is because they are rare; the reason alcohol-related homicides aren’t is because there are too many of them to report.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/42710/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sandra Jones holds an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship. She receives funding from the Australian Research Council, Healthway, FARE, Movember Foundation, WA Drug and Alcohol Office, and Medibank.</span></em></p>Alcohol-related violence is a much bigger problem in Australia than the harms of illicit drugs but we tend to overlook the former because the latter gets more headlines.Sandra Jones, Professor and Director of the Centre for Health and Social Research , Australian Catholic UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.