Vodka & Ice please...

Ice. Ice is frozen water. We have ice here. You just need a freezer and some water. Of course we have ice here. This isn’t the Kalahari ! It’s the stuff you place in drinks to cool them down. It’s the stuff that celebudantes have at their weddings carved into the shape of a swan. It’s the stuff that is melting at an alarming rate in the Poles.

Ice

Well, not in Sydney.

Ice is the common name for methamphetamine hydrochloride and in Australia this drug and its useage is absolutely huge. The problem isn’t confined to homeless junkies, drunk winos or Eveleigh St residents (think Thamesmead, but worse). The problem is everywhere. In no other country have I seen needle disposal boxes (NDB’s) in the toilets of a pub. It’s not just small grotty pubs either. The NDB’s are in most of the pubs, from your posh “I’m too good for this place” bars to the slummy “I’m a drunk” bars.

Ice box?

Of course the governement is trying to combat this epidemic, but I’m not sure giving users a safe place to dispose of their needles is necessarily the best way to go about it. Don’t get me wrong, I’d rather see a needle in a box than on the street where it can be trodden on by kids playing with wombats.


I live fairly central in Sydders and just around the corner I have (not me literally) a methadone clinic. From the early hours to late at night you can see people of all colours, creeds and classes running in and leaving 20 minutes later with a serene look on their faces with not a needle in sight. Of course, this is drug useage approved by the Fed Government as we can’t have those nasty heroin addicts on the streets whereas the ice addict can “do his thing” in any bar!

Ice

Just a few of the symptons are extreme paranoia, violent behavior, rapid weight loss, grinding of the teeth, hallucinations, hearing voices, pale complexion, symptoms of Parkinson's disease, rapid speech that makes no sense, depression, sleeping or sleeplessness for long periods of time, suicidal ideation's and different forms of schizophrenia. Ice users are also known to see shadows that move and feel that people are after them. Sometimes Ice users accuse their family members and friends of being with the Police, MI5, CIA or other government agencies and express extreme anger and violence to their loved ones. These side effects can often remain permanent if not treated; this is called “Meth Psychosis”.

Not at all sure where I’m going with this post so I’m off to the pub for a vodka and coke (no ice).