Download methamphetamine harm reduction

WHERE TO GET HELP
Overdose signs and
symptoms
BARWON HEALTH ACCESS TEAM
Overdoses are serious and can be life
threatening.
T 1300 094 187
Stopping sweating whilst getting very hot,
chest pain, headaches, blurred vision and
dizziness are all reasons to call 000.
BARWON HEALTH NEEDLE SYRINGE
PROGRAM
For sterile equipment
T 1800 196 850
Signs of overdose can include:
DIRECTLINE
• Anxiety
24-hour confidential drug and alcohol
counselling and referral line
T 1800 888 236
• Racing pulse
• Sweating profusely
• Breathing difficulties
• Nausea and vomiting.
METHAMPHETAMINE
HARM REDUCTION
SEIZURES
If someone appears to be having a seizure:
www.barwonhealth.org.au
• Remove dangerous items that can cause
an injury
Published by Barwon Health June 2016
• Call an ambulance
• Place them in the recovery position
JUNE 2016
• It is important not to leave someone alone
until an ambulance arrives.
Tips for safer use
.
.
Staying safe
Methods of use
The foundation for safer drug use, is all about
the planning. The following are the basics
which can help with a more pleasureable (and
hence, less harmful) drug using experience.
The way in which you use the drug has
different risks. No matter how you take it,
you will get the effects of the drug, just how
quickly it comes on is altered by its route of
admission.
SLEEP
Preloading. If you are able, ensure you are well
rested before a drug using session. This can
lessen the abrupt come down and the other
nasties that occur after long periods without
sleep. It is unlikely you will sleep whilst using
methamphetamines, therefore, using after a
hard 10 hours on a building site, in the office,
or after spending a sleepless night in the cold
due to homelessness is not a recipe for an
enjoyable drug using experience.
FOOD
Preloading, again. Eating healthy food is
better than unhealthy food, but eating
unhealthy food is better than eating no food.
You might not feel like eating when you are
using, so it’s important to eat before you start
using. Your body is a machine, and like any
machine it functions best when it has been
fuelled. So consider eating a part of your preusing preparations.
INJECTING
This carries risks of injecting unsterile matter
into your blood stream (which the body does
not like!) this can lead to infections such as
endocarditis (a bacterial infection in the heart)
– Also, the risk of blood borne viruses such as
Hepatitis C is a factor to consider.
Some of these risks can be lowered by
using sterile equipment, filtering your drugs
properly, and drinking plenty of water to help
with injecting.
SMOKING
You get the effect from smoking
methamphetamine in the first few seconds,
so there is no need to hold the smoke in your
lungs.
Remember to let the pipe cool from time
to time, this will help avoid a dry throat and
cough that comes from burning your gear.
Drink water / suck cough lollies / use lip balm
/ chew sugar free gum.
Smoking methamphetamine reduces the
amount of oxygen by constricting the blood
vessels meaning that the heart, which
requires oxygenated blood, has its supply cut
off.
This can cause the heart to ‘short circuit’, or
stop pumping. It can also cause the heart
muscle to die, which can cause irreparable
damage.
ALTERNATIVES
REMEMBER – Methamphetamine constricts
blood vessels, which can make repeated
injections harder, so remain patient when
repeating injections, and if necessary, load
your shot into a clean syringe if you have had
to made repeated attempts to find a vein.
Taking methamphetamine by putting it in
a drink and swallowing it, or ‘shafting’ it (i.e
putting it up your bum) is safer than smoking
or injecting. No matter how you take ice, you
will get the effects, what differs is the speed
it comes on. Speak to your local AOD service/
Needle Syringe Program worker about your
options.