There s No Place For ICE Supporters Pack GEELONG, BARWON & SURROUNDING REGIONS
Why IS this booklet important There has been a lot of discussion abouts drugs around the world, Australia and mainly to us in our regions. Some of it accurate, some not. This booklet aims to give readers an ice EDUCATION - how it is used; its physical, mental and social effects; how it impacts local communities. This booklet is the start of a conversation about how we, as a community, can develop local tools and strategies to reduce the harms associated with ICE in the Geelong region. Here you will find a brief overview of ICE. This information is intended for service providers, workplaces, schools, sporting clubs or anyone who wants to find out more and get involved in Our Town s ICE Fight. There s a lot information about ICE out there, some of it accurate and some of it misleading. 2 AWARENESS, EDUCATION, PREVENTION
It takes all the morals you have been raised with and takes away any pride you had within days. Anthony from Geelong, Victoria- former user What is ICE? Ice, or methamphetamine, is a synthetic stimulant that people can develop a dependency/addiction on more quickly than alcohol or other drugs. Ice initially affects the central nervous system, leading to a range of physical and mental changes in the user s body. Ice has the potential to hook people faster than most other substances and the stranglehold the drug has on users is severe. Meth addiction is a chronic, often relapsing, brain disease marked by uncontrollable drug craving and compulsive use. Other street names for ICE include shard, meth, crystal, crystal meth, shabu, tina and glass. In metro Melbourne there was an 88% increase in the number of attendances for crystal meth between 2011/13. In regional Victoria, the increase was 198%. http://www.druginfo.adf.org.au/ The traditional drug user that was on heroin is now using ICE because it s seemingly more pure and cheaper per unit. http://www.abc.net.au/ SIMON RAMSEY, VICTORIAN MP Regional centres - courtesy of biker gangs and criminal syndicates targeting areas already undermined by higher levels of youth unemployment - are especially hard hit by the ice pandemic. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/ 3
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Why do people take ice TO FIT IN TO ESCAPE PROBLEMS BOREDOM TO FEEL GROWN UP TO REBEL TO EXPERIMENT Ordinary people can go from recreational users - thinking they have it under control - to addicts in a short period of time. They take ice for a solution, which in the end becomes the problem. The first step towards solving a problem is owning up to the problem. We as a town have an ice problem - one of the highest rates of ice abuse in the state. Since last year, there has been a 177% increase in icerelated ambulance calls the Geelong region counts for one in every five ice-related ambulance call-outs outside of Melbourne Other than cannabis, this is the first time an illicit drug has been readily accessible and popular in regional areas. The spectrum of ice users is also wider than most other recreational drugs - everyone from white-collar workers to manual workers, pre-teens to parents have been recognised as ice addicts. Addiction is rife in work places, schools and sporting groups - even coaches of junior sports teams have struggled to coach kids in their teams who are using ice. In 2006, parts of the US and Canada were facing huge battles with ice. While problems there have not been eradicated, evidence shows that Australia is way behind these countries in tackling the effects of ice use (REF). It doesn t take one genius to stop this problem. We believe change will take place when a number of passionate people do a range of positive little things. When enough people commit to overcoming an issue, however big or small their contribution, a massive change can occur. IT DOESN T TAKE ONE GENIUS TO STOP THIS... 5
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word definitions Psychosis A severe mental disorder in which thought and emotions are so impaired that contact is lost with external reality. Urban dictionary Medical term that tries to make a state of mind into a disease. Describes a person experiencing hallucinations, or so-called delusions that may seem misguided to someone who doesn t have time or respect for the deeper meanings of those beliefs. Resources Dopamine The happiness chemical in your brain that makes you feel and do happy things... Whatever they may be. Urban dictionary A compound present in the body as a neurotransmitter and a precursor of other substances including adrenaline. Tweaking A condition reached at the end of a drug binge when ICE no longer provides a rush or a high. Unable to relieve the horrible feelings of emptiness and craving, an abuser loses his sense of identity. http://www.theage.com.au/national/the-ice-crisis-inquiry-told-of-meths-pleasures-and-pain-20140605-39lyp.html http://www.methproject.org/answers/will-using-meth-change-how-i-look.html#the-meth-makeover http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/news/geelong/police-reveal-ice-toll-in-deaths-crimes-sports/story-fnjuhovy-1226956382778 http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/crystalmeth.html http://www.drugs.health.gov.au/internet/drugs/publishing.nsf/content/ice http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=179364 http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/communities-rally-as-ice-scourge-takes-hold/story-fni0fee2-1226963056434 METH a synthetic drug with more rapid and lasting effects than amphetamine, used illegally as a stimulant. Urban dictionary An abbreviation for methamphetamine, a drug that stimulates the central nervous system by causing it to release more dopamine, a neurotransmitter that gives someone a feeling of satisfaction. Meth is a dangerous drug and should not be used by anyone. noradrenaline a hormone which is released by the adrenal medulla and by the sympathetic nerves and functions as a neurotransmitter. It is also used as a drug to raise blood pressure Ice also releases high doses of noradrenaline, activating the fight or flight system. Using high doses can be anxious and jumpy (flight) or suspicious and aggressive (fight). 7
How is ice used? Users can snort, inject or swallow ice. In Australia, and increasingly in regional towns, it is most commonly smoked. When it is smoked it takes effect in just a few seconds. It is not only the drug itself that can cause damage; it is also the way it is used. Injecting ice can lead to open wounds, infections and serious diseases from the needles used. Users who smoke ice often have burns around their mouths from the pipe and the smoke, which become infected easily due to lowered immune defences. How ADDICTIVE IS ICE? The first experience may involve some pleasure such as a rush (strong feeling) of confidence, hyperactiveness and energy but some people who use ICE can have their life significantly impacted. Developing a strong desire to continue using it because the drug creates a false sense of happiness and well-being. THE UP Your brain is just flooding with dopamine at a ridiculous rate so you feel all these strong, positive emotions at once. How much does it cost ICE addiction will cost you as much as you are willing to give. What price are you willing to pay for your ICE addiction? Your home? Your family? Your friends? Your health? Your life? A life of isolation. One gram of ice will cost approx: Netherlands $20 USA $80 Australia $800 - this is why we are a prime target. THE down During a ICE binge, users drain their dopamine supply. This makes it difficult for users to feel pleasure at all, lessens their ability to think and remember, and can also affect movement. When the high wears off the come down is the worse state of depression you can have. Isolation, fatigue and dependence. One third of treated useres have tempted suicide suicide. It puts you in a state of hopelessness 8
ICE VS HERION They are both terribly addicting... with heroin addiction you just cant stop, because when you do they go through the WORST hell there is on this earth, withdrawal. ICE addiction is different, since ICE acts on the reward center of your brain, you really just dont want to stop, because your brain is COMPLETELY rewired to deal with crazy high dopamine levels in the brain. You become a different person because your brain is no longer the same, and if you take away the thing that made your brain like that in the first place (ICE), then you have to go through the horrific process of rewiring your brain back to normal without all that excess dopamine running around in there. You will crave them both for YEARS after you stop using them (probably the rest of your life)... addiction is hell, no matter what the drug, and these are the two most addicting drugs... probably ever. ICE is more addicting. Heroin is #2. Crack #3. Don t even mess with the top 3 if you re not addicted. It ll ruin your life! http://www.bluelight.org/ USA Midwest states such as Oklahoma, ICE accounts for 80-90% of ALL drug related arrests and charges! Crystal Meth is also found in more and more cases of motor vehicle accidents and homicides. VIC IN Victoria the State Government has convened a parliamentary inquiry into it. Ambulance Victoria says its icerelated callouts have doubled. Country Victorians in particular are confronting a scourge the likes of which they ve not seen before. STATS AUS 6.8% of Australians aged 12 years and older have used meth/amphetamines at some stage in their life. http://www.druginfo.adf.org.au/topics/quick-statistics#ice WORLD Vs AUS ICE and amphetamine use in the Australian general population is high compared with the United States or the United Kingdom, with 2.5% of Australians 14 years or older reporting use in the preceding year. This is double the rate of other developed countries. http://theconversation.com/ THE RUSH THE HIGH THE BINGE TWEAKING THE CRASH METH HANGOVER WITHDRAWAL 9
Whats in it? There are many dangerous chemicals that go into making ice, including... Acetone Used in nail polish remover and paint thinner; highly flammable Lithium Used in batteries; reacts violently when mixed with water and is highly explosive Hydrochloric acid Used to strip rust from steel; in high concentrations, can eat away at human flesh 10
Toluene Used in brake fluid; powerful enough to dissolve rubber Pseudoephedrine Decongestant affects the nervous system Red phosphorus Shaved off match boxes by meth cooks; is found in road flares and other explosives...what ever is under the Sodium hydroxide Used to dispose of road kill because it turns dead bodies into a coffee-like liquid kitchen sink. 11
What misleading behaviour to look for Some addicts become exceptionally skillful at hiding their ice use. Typical ICE addict behaviour can be easily recognised, so some users try to imitate behaviours of healthy, non-users to fool those around them. The normal behaviour hoax Complaining about hunger ICE acts as an appetite suppressant, so ice users will not often feel hungry even though they are starving their bodies Yawning During a binge, ice users can stay awake for days at a time thanks to the chemical impact of the drug on the brain. Yawning to feign exhaustion is common. However, when coming down from a high, users can sleep for days - be aware of the distinction between these two phases. Laughing Sadly, lowered dopamine levels in the brain make it difficult for ice addicts to feel positive emotions, sometimes permanently. Users often fake smiles and laughter to hide the fact that they do not genuinely feel happiness. Check their teeth Friendship circle Asking for money Self worth Paranoid thoughts Poor hygiene Tooth decay Smell of ammonia Weight loss Skin 12
HOW CAN I TELL IF SOMEBODY I KNOW IS ON ICE *Look for signs of behaviour changes is this person depressed, moody, paranoid and/or irritable? If possible, check their teeth for signs of abnormal decay Look for changes in their friendship circle Keep an eye on their spending habits are they asking for money with no valid reason? Look for signs of decreased self-worth Do they seem to experience delusions or have paranoid thoughts? Look for poor hygiene and grooming - strong body odour from failing to wash or change clothing is often noticed in ice addicts Be aware of the smell of ammonia likened to cat urine which is typical of ice and stays with the person after use Have they lost a lot of weight, including muscle mass? Look at their skin for meth sores Look for dilated pupils Look for dilated pupils Pupils get larger with change of light but they expand in size for other reasons as well, including when we re sexually aroused and when we re performing complex cognitive tasks. But it s also known that certain medications including illicit drugs... 13
Effects inside & out How does ice affect your brain? The brain s structure changes when an ice user experiences their first high, which is why it can never be replicated. Not realizing this, users take more. This overstimulation of the brain s reward centre can cause permanent damage and anhedonia the inability to experience pleasure. 14 With short term use, the brain s dopamine reserves are emptied, and users of methamphetamine may feel tired and irritable for a few days while the stores build up again. After regular use, the brain s dopamine system effectively wears out, and over time the brain stops being able to produce enough dopamine on its own. When a person stops after a long period of use, they may feel depressed, lack motivation. Ice also releases high doses of noradrenaline, activating the fight or flight system. Using high doses can be anxious and jumpy (flight) or suspicious and aggressive (fight). The following consequences of ice use can be present from the first hit and worsen with repeated use: Anxiety and depression Long-lasting cognitive impairment difficulty speaking, thinking and learning Overstimulation of the area of the brain that controls behaviour and emotions leading to paranoia and aggression Frontal lobe damage, leading to impaired judgement Short and long-term memory loss Uncontrollable movement, like facial twitches and tremors Repeated, obsessive behaviour such as picking at skin and plucking hairs Delusions and hallucinations such as imagining bugs crawling under skin
Effects inside & out How does ice affect your body? Ice doesn t just alter your brain - it can also lead to devastating damage to the rest of your body. Often this damage is irreparable. It can include: Lowered immune system your body is more prone to illness and infection, especially from the meth sores Muscle degradation the drug leads to a state of starvation. With no fat reserves left, your body eats away at muscle. Stomach shrinkage from the no-hunger response Hair loss Increased body temperature, which can lead to organ failure Increased heart rate and blood pressure strokes and heart attacks can result Rapid weight gain when coming off ice depleted of nutrients, your body stores fat rather than using it for energy Injecting - can lead to open wounds, infections and serious diseases from the needles used. Smoking users often have burns around their mouths from the pipe and the smoke, which become infected easily due to lowered immune defences. Crystal meth has destroyed whole communities in America, and it s about to do the same here. http://www.aussielegalhighs.com.au/ 15
I can stop whenever i want... 16
ice DOESN T JUST affect YOU... 17
The ice experience 1 2 3 THE RUSH THE HIGH THE BINGE A rush is the initial response the abuser feels when smoking or injecting ICE. During the rush, the abuser s heartbeat races and metabolism, blood pressure and pulse soar. Unlike the rush associated with crack cocaine, which lasts for approximately two to five minutes, the ICE rush can continue for up to thirty minutes. The rush is followed by a high, sometimes called the shoulder. During the high, the abuser often feels aggressively smarter and becomes argumentative, often interrupting other people and finishing their sentences. The delusional effects can result in a user becoming intensely focused on an insignificant item, such as repeatedly cleaning the same window for several hours. The high can last four to sixteen hours. A binge is uncontrolled use of a drug or alcohol. It refers to the abuser s urge to maintain the high by smoking or injecting more ICE. The binge can last three to fifteen days. During the binge, the abuser becomes hyperactive both mentally and physically. Each time the abuser smokes or injects more of the drug, he experiences another but smaller rush until, finally, there is no rush and no high. Ice is the most devastating drug in the world and the hardest drug to treat ever in the world it s within metres of where we are standing now. Paul - Our Town s ICE Fight 18
4 5 6 TWEAKING THE CRASH HANGOVER A ICE user is most dangerous when experiencing a phase of the addiction called tweaking a condition reached at the end of a drug binge when ICE no longer provides a rush or a high. Unable to relieve the horrible feelings of emptiness and craving, an abuser loses his sense of identity. Intense itching is common and a user can become convinced that bugs are crawling under his skin. Unable to sleep for days at a time, the abuser is often in a completely psychotic state and he exists in his own world, seeing and hearing things that no one else can perceive. His hallucinations are so vivid that they seem real and, disconnected from reality, he can become hostile and dangerous to himself and others. The potential for self-mutilation is high. To a binge user, the crash happens when the body shuts down, unable to cope with the drug effects overwhelming it; this results in a long period of sleep for the person. Even the meanest, most violent abuser becomes almost lifeless during the crash. The crash can last one to three days. 7 WITHDRAWAL After the crash, the abuser returns in a deteriorated state, starved, dehydrated and utterly exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally. This stage ordinarily lasts from two to fourteen days. This leads to enforced addiction, as the solution to these feelings is to take more ICE. Often thirty to ninety days can pass after the last drug use before the abuser realizes that he is in withdrawal. First, he becomes depressed, loses his energy and the ability to experience pleasure. Then the craving for more ICE hits, and the abuser often becomes suicidal. Since meth withdrawal is extremely painful and difficult, most abusers revert; thus, 93% of those in traditional treatment return to abusing ICE. 19
Why is ice such a challenge for our town ICE is not unique to the Geelong region, but it is being used by a broad range of age groups in our community, which poses a variety of new challenges. ICE can result in family, financial, legal, work, school and other problems. Violence and psychological disturbances can be serious side effects of ICE. Use of ICE can result in a number of very serious health issues or death. Some people who use ICE are more prone to practice unsafe sex or other risky behaviours like driving under the influence In Victoria, there is currently no dedicated strategy to tackle the use of ICE. 20 It is our job to turn CONVERSATION INTO ACTION Join Our Town s Ice Fight and find out more about what you can do at: www.icefight.com.au
Community leadership is vital in the fight against ICE. Our Town s Ice Fight is a community action group made up of a range of youth, health, the Police, government and non-government agencies across the Geelong region. We re looking for new ways to tackle the problem together. We believe that a range of strategies will be needed within the areas of: User and community safety Increased access to substance abuse programs Early intervention Harm reduction Education (in many forms, across all population groups) Prevention What is our town s response? What more can i my organisation do? A whole of community approach is needed. You can: FIND before you act, find out more about ICE. A great place to start is The Australian Drug Foundation http://www.druginfo.adf.org.au/ TALK to your colleagues, your friends and your family about ICE has it affected someone you know? What do you think might be an innovative approach to the problem? ASK what is my organisation doing? What more can we do? How can we get more involved? SPEAK share stories, ideas and solutions across your organisation and beyond and raise awareness wherever you can. ADVOCATE stand up, speak out and take action to stop the harms related to ICE use NEXT STEPS: Developing a response to our community s ICE issues must involve us all people affected by ICE, drug and alcohol workers, public health and community practitioners, policy makers and parents. 21
WHO is our town s ice fight? To give you more of an understanding we are a community formed group that will coordinate a series of sustained, systematic activities and interventions to engage the local community. The aim is to facilitate local behavioural changes and tackle the impact of ICE in our regions. We are a preventative initiative. We are not a rehabilitation support service. Our initiatives will educate people of all ages to make the right choice. Any funds raised will go toward developing and implementing the strategies in Workplace/Youth-Families/Sport. 22
Let our town reach it s full potential and prevent this UGLY filthy drugs devastation. This booklet is not a counselling service. If you need assistance please visit: Barwon Health 1300 097 187 (local service) In an emergency, call 000 23
Let our town reach its full potential and prevent this UGLY drug s devastation. ICEFIGHT.COM.AU We are about Prevention, awareness and Education Only, This is not a counselling service. If you need assistance see referral numbers for assistance: Barwon Health Access Service: 1300 094 187 (local service) - In an emergency, call 000 Produced by: Paul Kelly Creative. Printed by: Print Design Australia