An investigation by The Australian Women’s Weekly found the drug commonly known as ice has become a mainstream “drug of choice” for young people and is “not seen as a big deal”.
But with purity rising from an average of between five and 15 per cent to 50 to 80 per cent in just five years, the drug is more potent and dangerous than ever.
It can tip regular people into violence, crime and psychosis – but the signs of abuse might not be obvious at first.
Ex-user Chris Smith, a friendly country boy from a caring family, told how his decision at 18 to accept a smoke from a mate’s ice pipe sent his life spinning out of control.
The first high left him feeling “indestructible, ten feet tall and bulletproof”. But a year and a half later, he had crashed his car, lost his job and driver’s license and broken his neck in an accident that very nearly killed him.
Chris had never been taught about ice in drugs education at school – and says parents should be aware of it as it’s easy to cover up usage. “You can still be around people and they wouldn’t know,” the now 23-year-old says.
People using ice don’t tend to have slurred speech, physical incoordination or red-eyed dopiness, as seen with alcohol or cannabis use. Sustained heavy use, however, can lead to hallucinations, paranoia, severe physical deterioration and psychosis.
At a drugs forum in a Victorian country town attended by The Weekly this month, mother Leonie, 52, revealed her two eldest sons were in mental health facilities because of addictions to ice.
Her 19-year-old, she says, has done permanent harm to his brain. Both boys were intelligent, well-educated and talented footballers before becoming hostage to the drug.
Leonie had no idea what ice was when she first found some in one of her son’s backpack.
“You have got to find you joy in friends, music and sport,” she says. “Not drugs.”
Signs that your child could be taking ice:
dilated pupils
very alert / hyper focused
talkative / self absorbed
sweating more than normal
twitchy, unusually active
loss of appetite, sudden weight loss
staying awake all night
anxious / edgy
