Treating the hype: Supports and treatment responses for people impacted by methamphetamine use

NCCRED partnered with Dr Suzie Hudson (https://www.nada.org.au) and Insight to deliver the webinar “Treating the hype: Supports and treatment responses for people impacted by methamphetamine use”.

Whilst overall rates of Methamphetamine use in Australia have remained stable in recent years, people who use methamphetamines are reporting higher rates of regular and dependent use, leading to complex physical, mental health and social problems. The role of treatment and other interventions is crucial in addressing these issues, along with residential rehabilitation, withdrawal management and counselling making. The evidence base for stimulant-specific interventions and treatment is modest to date, but building, recognising the need for effective support and acknowledging the frequent experience of discrimination around this substance.

This webinar was brought to you by Insight – for more resources please go to their website

www.insight.qld.edu.au

Real Drug Talk Podcast: Whats Good & Bad In The AOD System

The Real Drug Talk Podcast is hosted by Real Drug Talk CEO and NCCRED Working Group member  Jack Nagle. The podcast  and discusses all things alcohol and drugs and includes interviews with people with personal stories, family members that have had to deal with a loved ones alcohol or drug use, interesting experts in the space along with short tips and tricks to help anyone struggling with addictive patterns.

Episode 74, “Whats Good & Bad In The AOD System” features NCCRED director Prof Nadine Ezard where they discuss some of the good things and some of the bad things about the alcohol and drugs sector as a whole. You can listen to the podcast by clicking the image below.

ASCEND webinar: ‘Therapeutic interventions for methamphetamine dependence’

This webinar presented an overview of evidence for treatment of methamphetamine dependence, and future directions.

Crystalline methamphetamine (“ice”) is a significant and growing public health concern in Australia, with approximately 300,000 people now dependent on this drug. There are currently no approved pharmacotherapies that can be delivered as a scaleable and cost-effective treatment to meet the growing treatment demand. Mirtazapine, an approved antidepressant medication, has recently been identified in early clinical trials as the first potentially effective treatment option. The recently funded Tina trial will be conducted by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) and evaluate whether mirtazapine is a safe, effective, and feasible treatment in routine clinical practice.

The ASCEND program grant (Advancing the health or people who use drugs: hepatitis C and drug dependence) is a collaboration between UNSW Sydney’s Kirby Institute and National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), funded by the National Health and Medical Research Centre.

Speakers

Chair: Professor Michael Farrell

• Associate Professor Rebecca McKetin – Mirtazapine for methamphetamine dependence: Will it work in routine clinical practice?

• Dr Steven Shoptaw – What doesn’t work, and what might work? An overview of the evidence.

• Panel discussion with: Dr Steven Shoptaw, A/Prof Rebecca McKetin, Professor Nadine Ezard