The founder of Family Drug Support Australia, and father who lost his son to overdose, Tony Trimingham OAM, is among the experts coming to Inverell and Narrabri this week for the Breaking the Ice forum.
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Data shows the number of methamphetamine-related presentations of the 56 NSW public hospital emergency departments increased from 470 in 2009-10 to 4110 in 2015-16.
To confront and assist the local issue, Inverell Community Drug Action Team (CDAT) invites the community to the educational forum about the issue of crystalline methamphetamine or ice in Inverell.
Moree’s Craig Binge from Maayu Mali will be one of the guests presenting at the forum about Moree services.
Author of Not My Family, Never My Child, Mr Trimingham will be joined by Alcohol & Drug Foundation representative Annie Bleeker who has worked since 1990 in the areas of HIV/AIDS, drugs and alcohol, and Professor Nghi Phung, expert in addiction medicine at Sydney’s Westmead Hospital.
Inverell CDAT chairperson Jenny Ryan said the forum will provide evidence-based information about ice and where to seek local help, support and treatment.
“The solution lies in the community’s hands, and we will give you some practical tools to deal with the issue,” she said.
“More importantly, we need to start seeing the person rather than just the drug, and to encourage people to seek help early, rather than hide the problem.”
All of the community is invited to attend, though content is aimed at adults (over 18). The forum will provide answers about leading by example, how the community as one can assist in dealing with the local impact of the drug, and debunk misconceptions about ice.
A discussion panel will follow for the audience to ask questions of the presenters.
The Inverell Breaking the Ice forum is Thursday, September 22 at the Riverside Cafe, adjacent to the Inverell Tourism Centre at 6.30pm. Tickets are $20 per person for catering and available at www.stickytickets.com.au.
The forum will also be presented in Narrabri at 10am tomorrow, September 23 at the Narrabri RSL Club, 7 Maitland Street.
For Inverell ticket assistance, phone Michelle on 0400 754 240 at Linking Together, Jenny on 0417 115 298 at Armajun or Craig on 0427 224 498 at Best Employment.
