GENERAL HEALTH ON THIN ICE AUSTRALIA’S MOST FRIGHTENING DRUG EPIDEMIC YET You’ve seen the ads. A sweating employee snaps at his colleague; an agitated son steals cash from his mother’s wallet before knocking her to the ground; a psychotic young man launches a chair through a hospital hallway – these are the images of ice addiction. The series of ‘Ice Destroys Lives’ advertisements is one of many public messages broadcasting around the country. In recent months, government, organisation and media attention has turned to Australia’s use of ice and its damage to users and the community. Given the drug’s increased availability, more frequent use and its purity, some experts and organisations are calling ice’s rampage across Australia an ‘epidemic’, not least in the light of Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie’s revelation in August of her 21-year-old son’s ice addiction. Its grip on users, families and community welfare also sparked former Prime Minister Tony Abbott to launch a national taskforce in early April, led by former Victorian Police commissioner Ken Lay. With progress already underway, the National Ice Taskforce is mainly focusing on prevention, intervention, treatment, and community and frontline support. However, unless you’ve experienced or witnessed the direct or indirect effects of ice, it’s difficult to judge the health issue as an epidemic. Ice use and addiction reveals a problematic web of social, health and cultural factors that varies the experience, appropriate treatment and aftercare for each user. But epidemic or not, ice use in Australia demands serious attention. 26 Pindara Magazine 2015\2016
Pindara Private Hospital Magazine - Issue Six
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