Drugs in Australia- Is it a problem?

When it comes to drug use, Australians are the number one users in the world. More than 40% of people have used drugs. People use drugs to relax, to function, for enjoyment, to be part of a group, curiosity, or because of physical or psychological pain.

Any substance that creates a psychological change is considered a drug. The three main categories are stimulants (speeds up the brain and nervous system), depressants (slows them down), and hallucinogens (interfere with the brain and nervous system altering perception of reality).

The number one choice of drug in Australia is ice. Ice is a type of methamphetamine and also a stimulant. It speeds up messages to and from the brain and body. Because ice is a type of methamphetamine it has more harmful side effects, and is much stronger and addictive than other drugs.

What Is Ice?

Ice is a stimulant drug, which means it speeds up the messages travelling between the brain and the body. It is a type of methamphetamine, which is generally stronger, more addictive and has more harmful side effects than the powder form known as speed

Ice comes as small chunky clear crystals, and as white or brownish crystal like powder with a strong smell and bitter taste. Other names for ice are crystal meth, shabu, crystal, glass, shard, p2.

Ice is generally smoked or injected and the effects can be felt 3- seconds. It is also sometimes swallowed (15-30 minutes to feel effect) or snorted (3-5 minutes to feel effect).

Ice in Australia

Ice is now everywhere in Australia. Ice has been around for years, but in the past two or three years its usage has surged as the drug gains a level of social acceptance that has caught Australia off-guard. Ice is tearing our country apart. The ice problem in Australia is not only real, its threat is potentially only the beginning.

The former prime minister of Australia Tony Abbott states that “Ice is the worst drug problem Australia has ever faced”, he also states that “Over the years we’ve faced a wave of illegal drugs, but this latest wave is the worst”.
Jan Copeland, the director of the National Cannibas Prevention and Information Centre, said “Between 30 and 100 percent of Australians have tried ice in their lifetime”.

Ice has gained a high profile in many communities across Australia. Ice is now nominated by the communities of Australia as the most illegal drug of most concern. People on ice are more likely to come to the attention of the public, as well as ambulance and police officers, because they are prone to outbursts of erratic, strange or violent behaviour. O

Most ice users are either middle or high income earners. Ice use and addiction can happen to anyone; no family or person is immune from the temptation. Mental Health Issues

Mental Health Issues

The use of ice has psychological and medical consequences for users, disrupts families and communities, is linked to violence and property crime, and damages to environment.

Ice users are at increased risk of health-related harms, most notably psychosis and mental illness. Long-term use can result in memory loss, aggression and increased risk of stroke and heart failure. As a consequence, ice use places a long term burden on the health care system.

Some people who regularly use ice may start to feel less enjoyment with everyday activities. They can get stressed easily and their moods can go up and down quickly. These changes can lead to longer term problems with anxiety and depression. Ice users can also suffer from paranoia, hallucinations, and difficulty sleeping. Frequently high dosages of ice can cause ‘ice psychosis’ with paranoid delusions. Cravings for ice can lead to aggressive and violent behaviour and addicts can alienate family and friends.

Kicking The Habit

Changes in the use of ice means that more users of illegal drugs are using ice, more are using it more often, and more people are experiencing problems with ice. More people need access to drug treatment for ice and more families and friends need help to cope with the odd or frightening behaviour of people who use ice.

Kicking the habit of ice addiction is difficult because the body has to adapt to getting by without the drug’s stimulant effects. People going through withdrawals often feel irritable, confused, exhausted, paranoid, depressed and anxious. They can also have cravings, panic attacks and nightmares.

HARMS CAUSED BY ICE
Between 2011-12 and 2012-13, the number of ice-related cases attended by ambulances jumped 88 per cent in metropolitan Melbourne. The figure was nearly 200 per cent in regional Victoria.
During the same time, ice-related presentations to emergency rose by a fifth.
Drug deaths involving ice also climbed from one in 25 deaths in 2010 to one in 11 deaths in 2012.The drug is also an emerging factor in an alarming number of deaths.
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