Safer drug use

Ways to minimise the risks of drug use

It is not uncommon for young people to experiment with drug use. Being well informed, and getting that information from a reliable source, about safer drug use is really important. Of course it is safer not to try illegal drugs (or use prescription drugs other than instructed by a health care professional) but if you do use drugs there are ways to reduce the risks involved.

Ways to help minimise the risk include:

• Take a little bit of the drug first to see how it affects you. Everyone is affected differently by individual drugs and illegal drugs are not uniformly made and so they may have a different affect each time you take them.
• Make sure someone else knows what you are taking
• Look after each other when using drugs - avoid taking drugs on your own. If you do become ill, it is important to have someone there to get help. If someone collapses, call an ambulance immediately, don't let them lie on their back, turn them onto their side, otherwise they may choke on their vomit. Stay with them until the ambulance arrives.
• Don't mix drugs - mixing drugs with alcohol or another drug may cause serious side affects. Most people who become ill have a number of substances in their system.
• Drugs distort your judgement and so plan ahead so you do not have to do anything that puts you in a risky situation - like organise a ride and make sure someone else knows where you'll be.
• Do not drive or operate heavy machinery after taking drugs as there is an increased risk of harming yourself or others.
• If you're going to inject, obtain clean syringes from a needle and syringe program (NSP) or chemist. The Alcohol and Drug Information Service (ADIS) in each state should be able to provide you with the locations of NSPs within your state. Make sure you use pure water. To ensure water is pure you can boil it or pick it up from the NSP. An NSP will not judge you - their job is to provide you with safe and clean needles/syringes and the information you need.
• Avoid sharing a syringe or needle. Sharing needles may pass on infections such as HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B & C. If you are having sex, use a condom to avoid contacting HIV/AIDS or sexually transmitted infections.
• If you are dancing on ecstasy, take rest breaks and sip water. Ecstasy may raise the body temperature to dangerous levels. Sip about half a litre of water an hour - do not scull it all at once.
• Dispose of bags, needles and syringes safely so others are not in danger of being injured.
• Get informed - It is a good idea to be well informed about the affects of alcohol and other drugs before you experiment with them. You may want to check out the Australian Drug Foundation website for information about the affects of individual drugs.

What to do in an emergency

If someone becomes ill, it is important to call an ambulance on '000' (in Australia) as fast as you can. When it arrives tell the ambulance officer exactly what the ill person has been taking. The ambulance officer is interested in helping the ill person - they are not interested in giving you lectures. They can help the sick person the best if they know what they've taken - it only slows down the process and puts the sick person in more danger - if the ambulance officers are given the wrong info. They are not required to call the police unless they are in danger or there is evidence of criminal activity not relating to the drugs.

If the person has collapsed whilst waiting for the ambulance lay the person on their side in the recovery position to keep their airways open. Try to keep the person cool, you can do this by using cold water or ice packs. Check out the What to do in an emergency fact sheet for more information.

More information

Phone numbers within Australia

NSW
Alcohol and Drug Information Service (ADIS) - 02 9361 8000 OR 1800 422 599

ACT
ADIS - 02 6205 4545

VIC
Direct Line (Drug Advice) - 1800 888 236
Family Drug and Alcohol Help 1300 660 068 or 03 9573 1730

QLD
ADIS - 07 3837 5989 OR 1800 177 833

TAS
ADIS - 1800 811 994 or 03 416 1818

SA
ADIS - 08 8363 8618 OR 1300 131 340

WA
ADIS - 08 9442 5000 OR 1800 198 024

NT
ADIS - 1800 629 683 or Darwin 08 8922 8399 or Alice Springs 08 8951 7580
Amity Community Services - 1800 684 372

DrugInfo Clearinghouse 1300 85 85 84

Numbers for each Australian state users association

NSW
NSW Users and AIDS Association (NUAA) - 02 9557 1476 or 1800 644 413

VIC
Vivaids - 03 9381 2211

QLD
Queensland Intravenous AIDS Association Inc. (QUIVAA) - (07) 3252 5390

WA
Western Australian Substance Users Association (WASUA) - (08) 9227 7866