Ice threat for workers

Health staff have to deal with aggression and psychosis among users

CHANGES in methamphetamine consumption away from speed in favour of ice posed particular challenges for the state’s frontline health professionals and emergency service workers, a sold-out Hobart forum has heard.

Delegates to the training day, organised by Tasmania’s Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs Council and presented by LeeJenn Health Consultants, were told the more potent crystal form of methamphetamine was creating problems in users including increased aggression, psychosis and dependence.

But presenter Nicole Lee said the good news was that most frontline workers already had the skills to deal with problem ice users, suggesting media reports of an ice “crisis” had been somewhat exaggerated.

“The treatments for ice are very similar to treatments for other drugs,” Associate Professor Lee said.

“Workers already know how to deal with aggression, they already know what to do when someone is showing signs of psychosis.

“But we are teaching that because methamphetamine is unlike any other drug, the changes in the brain mean that users can be more forgetful, unable to focus very well, have trouble making decisions and have unexplained emotional outbursts.

“And later there is a very long recovery period, so we just need to adapt our treatments a little bit in order to account for this.”

Dr Lee said the proportion of the population using ice remained steady at 1 per cent, but an increase in harmful outcomes meant a renewed focus on treatment was required, as opposed to mere prevention and enforcement.

ATDC chief executive Jann Smith said the response to the heavily oversubscribed forum had been overwhelming, with almost 500 expressions of interest received from sectors including justice, education, health, and drug treatment.

“People should be aware that alcohol and other drugs have not disappeared from use and it is important to acknowledge that we still need to be working on prevention and harm reduction in other areas as well,” Ms Smith said. “With such enormous demand, we may consider running this training again in the future, subject to funding.”