Researchers at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) are developing a new online toolkit to provide up-to-date, evidence-based information about crystal methamphetamine (‘ice’).
Supported by the Australian Government Department of Health, the toolkit will include information about the drug’s effects and harms, as well as information on services and advice for people seeking help.
This follows the recommendation in the National Ice Taskforce Report to develop an “online curated toolkit of information and resources to support families and communities to better understand and respond to the problems caused by ice”.
Project leader Dr Nicola Newton, Director of Prevention at the Centre of Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use at NDARC said the aim of toolkit is to improve access to evidence-based information about methamphetamine.
“The toolkit will raise awareness about the potential harms and mental health problems associated with methamphetamine use, and provide information about how to access services and/or support,” said Dr Newton.
The target audience for online toolkit includes consumers, carers, parents, local councils, Parents and Citizens Groups, community organisations, and anyone seeking support or information relating to methamphetamine use. Consideration will be given to the specific issues and services relevant for Australians living in regional and rural areas.
The toolkit will complement a large catalogue of evidence-based drug education resources developed by the Centre, including the recently launched Positive Choices, a one stop portal for drug prevention resources and information for school teachers, parents and students.
For more information and progress updates about the online ’ice’ toolkit project, please visit the Cracks in the Ice project page.
To access the Positive Choices portal, click https://positivechoices.org.au/.