ICE USE IN THE COUNTRY: WORKERS SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES IN NEW VIDEO SERIES A new program developed by Penington Institute aims to educate workers in secondary NSPs and other health services to reduce the harms for clients who inject ice. Injecting ice in the Country includes 10 videos and fact sheets that can be accessed from www.penington.org. au/injectingiceinthecountry. As well as building harm reduction capacity in rural and communities, the project aims to improve Aboriginal clients’ access to harm reduction services through both Aboriginal and mainstream services. The Victorian Government funded the project after the Premier’s Ice Action Taskforce revealed that injecting ice was becoming an increasing concern in country areas. While targeted at rural and regional workers, the resources
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are relevant for anyone who has clients who inject ice. In the videos, NSP workers, doctors and other experts talk about key issues relating injecting ice, and how healthier approaches can be used to support clients to reduce the harms.
There are a range of risks that come with injecting ice that are unique; it can shrink veins, making it harder to inject, and along with tremor and blurred vision that clients experience, this can increase the risk of vein damage, missed hits and blood-borne virus transmission.
Topics include current trends in ice use, intoxication and withdrawal, psychological impacts, impacts on the body, safer injecting, harm reduction and engaging clients.
Ice use can make people feel invincible and lead to an increase in risk taking behaviours. It’s also associated with poor mental health, and often contributes to clients experiencing anxiety and depression.
Experts explain how ice can cause heart, liver and dental problems, and that NSP workers have vital roles in educating clients to reduce these harms.
Bendigo Community Health Services Alcohol and Drug Community Senior Worker, Bart McGill, who is in the videos, says:
