AUSTRALIAN CRIME COMMISSION REPORT ON ICE
The illicit drug ICE has been tried by at least one in ten Australians.
There are approximately 102,600 regular ICE users in Australia of which three quarters are dependent users.
The use of ICE is increasing in Australia among young users.
Most ICE is produced in clandestine chemical laboratories using highly toxic chemicals that are associated with high levels of harm.
Producers of ICE are highly organized crime syndicates mainly producing in Queensland.
(Source: Illicit Drug Data Report 2004-05, Australian Crime Commission April, 2006)
DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA COMMENTS-
Because of the increasing demand for ICE at parties, pubs and clubs increasing numbers of young Australians are creating a demand for ICE which is funding organized crime.
The Australian Crime Commission coordinates policing throughout Australia with the support of state and territory police commissioners.
Whilst high levels of activity are made to limit the supply of ICE by policing these are being undermined by the increasing demand by young people.
The dangers of ICE and the toxic chemicals used are not known to the users and therefore the harms are increasing to the users.
ICE use causes mental illness, chronic depression, violent, aggressive and irrational behavior, paranoid psychosis, panic, delusions, hallucinations and addiction.
Australia needs more illicit drug detoxification and rehabilitation programs to substantially reduce demand and the number of users.
More detoxification & rehabilitation that gets illicit drug users drug free.
Court ordered and supervised detoxification & rehabilitation.
Less illicit drug users, drug pushers and drug related crimes.