News

Youth to be focus of ICE initiative

Mon, 19 Aug 2013 14:06:00

A campaign aimed at Mildura’s epidemic of the highly-addictive drug ice will take its message directly to young people at a youth community information session this week.

A consortium of community and health organisations have come together under the banner of Project ICE Mildura and are kicking off a six-month campaign to counter the influence of the drug.
Project ICE Mildura brings together organisations including Sunraysia Community Health, Mildura Rural City Council, Mildura Police, Mallee District Aboriginal Services and the Northern Mallee Primary Care Partnership.
The organisations have identified methamphetamine, or ice, as the second most common illicit drug in Mildura after cannabis and say its use is rising rapidly.
Ice is an addictive stimulant drug also known as “meth”, “crystal meth”, “shabu” and “glass”.  It can be taken orally, injected, snorted or smoked and is considered one of the most addictive of illicit drugs.
Users under the influence of ice experience excitement, alertness and confidence, but are also prone to hallucinations, anxiety, depression and violence.
“Two years ago methamphetamines or ice were barely on our radar – now all our agencies are reporting it as the major drugs issue they encounter,” said Raelene Stephens, nurse unit manager of the MDAS Alcohol and Other Drugs Program.
“As a group of agencies we are experiencing the fall-out from this problem on a number of fronts – it’s at epidemic proportions in Mildura.  As a group of service providers we are getting together to send a strong message to the community,” Ms Stephens said.
“This drug destroys lives.  It is affecting families and it is causing crime – no one in our community is immune from the effects, or the ripple effects.”
Sunraysia Community Health and Mallee District Aboriginal Services have combined to run a youth information session at the Mildura Function Centre next Thursday, with speakers from Youth Support Advocacy Services.
“The session is aimed at people in the 16 to 25 year age group and it will be pretty informal,” Ms Stephens said.
“We don’t want to lecture people, but we do want to get the message out about the impact ice is having and where people can get help for themselves or someone else,” she said.
“We are also hoping some of the people attending will have advice for us – about how we can best target our information and campaign to have the best impact.”
The campaign group said ice was present in the community to the extent that everyone would be exposed to it at some time.
“We think that by combining our efforts and resources and planning our approach, we will be able to put together initiatives that will make a difference.”
There has already been demonstrated community concern about the influence of Ice, with 120 people attending a parents’ and carers’ forum at Mallee District Aboriginal Services earlier this year and 140 service providers attending education sessions during May about ice.
“Our plan is to deliver information to the community on a number of levels – to inform parents and carers so they know what questions to ask and how to respond if they do think their child may be using ice and to inform the wider community,” Ms Stephens said.
“We want to provide people with the information that empowers them with the resilience not to try the drug in the first place,” she said.
“And we want to ramp up the skills of people who come into contact with young people – teachers, youth workers, health workers—so they know what to look for and how to respond effectively.”
Anyone with drug or alcohol problems can get assistance and support from Sunraysia Community Health Drug Treatment Services team (5022 5444) or Mallee District Aboriginal Services Alcohol and Other Drugs team (5018 4100).