The scale of methamphetamine (Ice) consumption in Australia is alarming. Australians collectively inject, ingest, or smoke over $20 million worth of Ice every single day.
The impact of Ice use on our communities, particularly among young people, is devastating. Young Australians are more likely to experiment with Ice and face a higher risk of developing problematic use. Beyond individual harm, Ice use significantly affects Australia’s youth in other ways:
Neglect and abandonment by parents struggling with Ice addiction. A sharp rise in young children and newborns being removed from their homes by the Department of Child Safety. Serious and lasting health issues in babies born to Ice-addicted mothers. The Australian Anti Ice Campaign (AAIC) addresses these challenges through Ice-specific education and support programs. Delivered by trained AAIC presenters and "lived experience buddies"—individuals like AAIC Founder and CEO Andre’a Simmons who have overcome Ice addiction and are in long-term recovery—these programs aim to reduce the harm caused by Ice.
To further this mission, AAIC has developed an innovative eBook—a dynamic, video-based educational tool designed to help parents start meaningful conversations with their teenage children about the dangers of Ice use.
Research from successful education programs run by the Australian and Western Australian governments highlights the effectiveness of using real recovery stories to engage young people and shift their attitudes toward Ice.
We are calling on 100 community organizations to join us as AAIC Community Ambassadors. As ambassadors, you can make a difference by sharing the eBook link within your networks and local community. Additionally, a $500 contribution from each organization will enable us to launch the eBook nationwide, expanding its reach and impact. Together, we can help protect the future of young Australians.
Wastewater analysis provides a frightening picture of the extent of Ice use in Australia.
As shown below, more Ice is consumed by Australians than consumption of Cocaine, MDMA and Heroin combined.
This extreme level of Ice consumption is graphically illustrated when looked at in terms of average consumption per day as reported in March 2022.
The findings of the Report 15 of the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program published in March 2022 below show that Australians consumed more Ice per capita than all other countries where wastewater drug monitoring is conducted at that time.
With this level of supply and demand it is a reality that there is a clear and present danger that Australian teenagers will be offered Ice at some stage in the future.
The AAIC eBook is designed to give young Australians a first line of defence, in the form of knowledge, if Ice is ever offered to them. It is also designed specifically, as a tool for parents to use to open a conversation with their teenage children about the dangers of the drug Ice.
The National Ice Taskforce Report 2015 included the following findings:
- Ice is more likely to cause dependence than other drugs, and has a very long withdrawal and recovery phase.
- Relapse is understandably common.
- Unlike cannabis and heroin, ice is an extremely powerful stimulant. For some people, it can trigger psychological disturbances or violent and aggressive behaviour.
- Long term use may damage the brain and cause impaired attention, memory loss and motor skills deterioration.
- The distress ice causes for individuals, families communities and frontline workers is disproportionare to that caused by other drugs.
The enormous damage to individuals, families, communities and frontline workers are well known and include impacting the following:
Young people are particularly vulnerable to what is acknowledged to be one of the most highly addictive substances known to man.
This insidiously addictive and destructive chemical concoction, Ice, has devastating impacts on young families, and causes extreme harms to unborn babies.
AAIC was formed by Andre'a Simmons after Andre'a had found recovery from a two year Ice addiction that nearly took her life.
AAIC's mission is:
- To reduce first time use by educating Australians, particularly our youth, about the incredible dangers of using the drug Ice. Our message - NOT EVEN ONCE!
- To support people who are struggling with addiction and help them to find pathways into recovery.
The education and support is provided by people, like Andre'a, who have lived through the hell of Ice addiction and are now in long term recovery.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW ANDREA'S TESTIMONIAL VIDEO
AAIC conducts anti ice educational workshops around Australia in high schools, prisons, and to teenagers engaged in the Youth Justice System.
The problem we face is that with around 1.8 million teenagers in Australia, it is an enormously expensive task to try to deliver workshops to them all, particularly those living in regional or remote areas.
Shining a light on Ice addiction and recovery through the lens of lived experience.
The AAIC eBook has been developed to urgently reach more Australians, particularly teenagers, with our core message: “Ice - Not Even Once”.
This eBook is a powerful video based educational tool, delivered by 11 people (pictured below) who have lived through the hell of Ice addiction or have had to deal with a loved one in Ice addiction.
Our objectives in launching the eBook are to:
- To educate Australians about the incredible dangers of using the drug Ice. Our message NOT EVEN ONCE!
- To equip people with an educational tool to inform others, particularly teenagers, in a conversation about the reality of Ice use and the risks of touching Ice even once.
The use of graphic real stories of people who had experienced Ice addiction was first adopted in Australia under the National Drug Strategy 2004-2009 .
National Drug Strategy 2004-2009 included 'The National Drugs Campaign'. Phase 3 of the National Drugs Campaign featured high impact graphic television advertisements depicting people in Ice addiction, which were aired nationally throughout October and November 2007.
A report published by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found that Phase 3 of the National Drugs Campaign was effective in changing young people's attitudes towards Ice. This report stated:
“Further evaluation of phase 3 found young Australians who recognised the ice (crystal methamphetamine) television commercials were more likely to identify ice as being addictive, have unpredictable effects and make a person paranoid than those not recognising the commercial. Nearly all (96%) respondents aged 13-24 answered, 'definitely no' to whether or not they would accept an offer of ice by a friend in 2007.”
In May 2015 the Australian Government launched another saturation media campaign which featured graphic television commercials almost identical to those used in the 2007 National Drugs Campaign.
On the 12th of August 2015, Stanscombe Research and Planning submitted a National Drugs Campaign 2015 Evaluation Report to the Australian Government Department of Health.
Stanscombe Research and Planning 2015 report contained the following findings:
“Exposure to the Campaign was effective in increasing negative attitudes towards ice, educating young people about the risks, and in communicating the harms of drug use - particularly aggression, addiction and that 'ice destroys lives'. This was predominantly through swaying those who were unsure towards a negative opinion. The Campaign also influenced attitudes that were beyond its objectives, such as reducing perception that ice is a fun drug and increasing perception that it is made using dangerous substances”.
On the 21st of March 2016, Stanscombe Research and Planning submitted a National Drugs Campaign 2015 Second Evaluation Report to the Australian Government Department of Health.
This report evaluated the impact of the second wave of the 2015 National Drugs Campaign activity which commenced on the 30th of August 2015 and concluded on the 30th of September 2015.
The Stanscombe Research and Planning 2015 Second Report contained the following findings:
“Among the youth sample, there have been statistically significant increases in agreement with almost all statements regarding the negative consequences of ice use since the July wave of research, which are attributable directly to the campaign. These results indicate that the second wave of activity is responsible for increasing negative perceptions of ice among the youth audience, which given that the extent of the audience reached did not change, demonstrates a cumulative effect in repeated exposure to the campaign”.
On the 13th of December 2015, a Western Australian media organisation, WAtoday, published an article entitled 'Shocking new meth awareness ads to help fight WA epidemic' . This article describes a Western Australian government 'Drug Aware' campaign as follows:
“The Drug Aware campaign, which uses real life stories to show how meth can impact a person's relationships, health and criminal record, includes a series of social media, radio and night-time venue advertisements”.
On the 6th of December 2015, Western Australian Mental Health Commission published its 2016/17 Annual Report.This Annual Report published the following findings in relation to the Drug Aware Meth campaign:
“The Drug Aware Meth Can Take Control campaign achieved greater awareness than any previous Drug Aware campaign in its first year, with 53% of the target group aware of the campaign, and 90% of those aware correctly understanding the campaign messages”.
While these campaigns were effective, they were run over very short time spans, and have not been repeated since 2015 due in part to the incredible cost associated with main stream media campaigns.
The AAIC eBook is designed to provide parents with a specific video based tool to engage their children in a discussion about the drug Ice, with the specific objective of reducing first time use.
The AAIC Community Ambassadors Program makes this potentially lifesaving resource permanently available and accessible for members of our community.
To become an AAIC Community Ambassador, please click the link at the bottom of this page.
We will send you images (example below) which you can post on your social media together with a link to the AAIC eBook that you can then share freely within your community.
The images and link to the eBook can also be included in any digital newsletter or email.
To become an AAIC Community Ambassador please click the link below and complete the form. We will contact you to get you underway as a partner in the fight to reduce the harms caused by Ice in our nation.
