EACH and every week an average of 230 people seek help from the Bathurst Drug And Alcohol Service, with ice addiction the greatest concern for health professionals.
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Potency, availability and price has led to an increased use of methamphetamine (ice/crystal/speed/base) across the region.
A Western NSW Local Health District (LHD) spokeswoman said while the number of people using illicit drugs had not increased dramatically, the use of methamphetamine had.
“The choice to use methamphetamine due to its potency, availability and price has [increased],” she said.
“This choice means that people are ending up in hospital more often and are more likely to be aggressive.”
A report released by The Salvation Army said ice had become an increasing problem across its Recovery Services Centres in NSW.
Salvos drug and alcohol services operations manager Gerard Byrne said there had been a 40 per cent increase in the number of people seeking help for drug and alcohol use in the past five years.
“More and more people are reporting ice as their primary drug of choice,” he said.
“Many of our clients also have significant mental and physical health problems as a result of ice use.
“The number of of clients now reporting a mental health condition is anywhere between 50 to 70 per cent. Ice is a powerful drug that has devastating consequences.”
In Bathurst, however, legal drugs continue to be the most common reason why people seek help for substance abuse.
Alcohol and tobacco are the the two most prevalent drugs in the region, the LHD spokeswoman said.
“These two drugs continue to be the highest concern for people accessing hospital for substance use issues,” she said.
In Bathurst, however, alcohol abuse outranks all legal and illicit drug use.
Alcohol is the leading reason people access drug and alcohol treatment at our Bathurst Service.
- Western NSW Local Health District spokeswoman
“Alcohol is the leading reason people access drug and alcohol treatment at our Bathurst Service,” the LHD spokeswoman said.
“These people make up 70 per cent of all people seeking help for substance use issues.
“While alcohol is widely socially acceptable and accessible it will have the greatest effect on families due to: relationship breakdown, domestic violence, assault and injury, legal issues, including traffic offences and a negative impact on mental health.”
This financial year, NSW Health will invest $208 million in drug and alcohol services and in Bathurst that includes: drug and alcohol counselling, the Opioid Treatment Program and an addiction medicine specialist who provides specialised medical and counselling services.
A clinical nurse consultant is also available for consultations with people who have been admitted to the Bathurst Drug and Alcohol Service.
A Drug and Alcohol Helpline is available on 1300 887 000 during business hours.
- For help in a crisis call Lifeline on 13 11 14.