Whether you are having issues with alcohol or other drugs, are concerned about someone else’s alcohol or other drug use, or just have general questions about alcohol or other drugs, you can call ADIS any time of the day or week for support, information, counselling and referral to services in NSW.

ADIS Web Chat is also available from Monday to Friday 8.30am – 5pm (including public holidays).

NSW Health in collaboration with the Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF) and local agencies has a suite of resources including videos, factsheets and free interactive online education modules to help you and your community learn more about crystal methamphetamine or ice and its effect on individuals and communities.

These resources also explain where you can get help if you or someone you know has an ice problem or you want to support someone struggling with dependence.

On this page

1. Online learning
2. Video messages from people affected by ice
3. Where to get support
4. What should I do in an emergency?
5. Fact sheets and further information
   

Online learning

This interactive tool will help you learn more about ice, its history, the effects and how to access support services, with audio and video animation.

Messages from people affected by ice

Breaking the ice in our community

Hear from an ex-user, clinicians, harm minimisation specialists and families on the impact of ice on their communities and life after ice.

Jay Morris’s story

Ex ice user Jay talks about his experience of overcoming a dependence on ice. Watch to hear from Jay about when he realised using ice became a problem, the moment he knew he needed help and his message to people using ice.

Debbie Warner’s story

Mother of ex-ice user, Debbie talks about her experience of dealing with the stigma of ice and how she found support. Hear her message for families struggling with drug dependence.

Dr Suzie Hudson’s Story

Hear from Clinical Director Dr Suzie Hudson on what ice is, how it is used, the support available and her experience of working with the people using ice. Hear her message to communities.

Where to get support

• Call the National Alcohol and Other Drugs Hotline on 1800 250 015 for free and confidential advice about alcohol and other drugs 24 hours, 7 days a week.
• Call the Stimulant Treatment Line (STL) on 02 9361 8088 Sydney Metro or Free call* on 1800 10 11 88 Regional & rural NSW for concerns about psychostimulants (crystal, ice, coke, MDMA, etc) use. 24 hours, 7 days a week. (*Free call numbers are not free from mobile phones.)
• Call Family Drug Support (FDS) on 1300 368 186 or www.fds.org.au for caring, non-religious and non-judgemental support and assistance throughout Australia.

What should I do in an emergency?

If you can’t wake someone up or you are concerned that they may have sustained a head injury from a drug related fall – call an ambulance immediately – dial Triple Zero (000).

If the person has been mixing methamphetamines with other drugs, tell the NSW Ambulance paramedic exactly what they have taken. Paramedics are there to help. Generally paramedics don’t involve the police unless there is danger to themselves or other people/children, someone dies, or a crime (such as violence or theft) has been committed.

Fact sheets and further information

For further information on methamphetamine or ice visit Methamphetamine or refer to resources for individuals and families:

• Breaking The Ice – What Is Crystalline Methamphetamine?
  • Arabic
  • Vietnamese
• Breaking the Ice – Harm Reduction
• Breaking The Ice – Family
• Breaking The Ice – For Aboriginal Communities
  • Arabic
  • Vietnamese
• Breaking The Ice – Treatment
  • Arabic
  • Vietnamese
• Breaking The Ice – Withdrawal
• Methamphetamine (Speed and Ice) Drug Facts
  • Arabic
  • Chinese simplified
  • Chinese traditional
  • Hindi
  • Vietnamese
• Methamphetamine Drug Facts Booklet
• Not Our Way - Are you standing on thin ice? Booklet for Aboriginal Communities
• Not Our Way - Ice Storybook for Aboriginal Communities

For the latest data on methamphetamine related emergency department presentations and methamphetamine related hospitalisations please visit NSW Health Stats Drug Misuse.

Health service providers can find more information on alcohol and other drugs, including early intervention, strategy, programs and guidelines on the NSW Health website.

MDMA and other stimulants affect everyone differently. Some people can experience an overdose after taking only one or two tablets. 

People respond differently to MDMA depending on many factors, including:

• Size, weight and general health
  
• Using other drugs, especially stimulants, at the same time
  
• Strength of the drug (you can't tell by looking)
  
• Taking many tablets or pills at once or more too close together (a person may think they've built up a tolerance and take too much)
  
• The presence of other contents in the tablet or pill
  
• Use of medications or supplements
  
• Dehydration or lack of food
  
• Prolonged use (taking a drug consistently over a long period of time)
  
• Sleep deprivation
  
• Their genetic makeup (some people's bodies can't process and get rid of drugs or alcohol very well).
  

​The Get Healthy Service Alcohol Program is a free telephone-based coaching service designed to support you to make healthy lifestyle changes and reduce your alcohol consumption.

The Get Healthy Service offers up to 10 coaching calls to support you to achieve a healthy weight, eat healthier, increase your levels of physical activity and reduce your alcohol consumption by making small simple changes to your lifestyle.

If you are, or know someone who is worried about their level of alcohol consumption then the alcohol reduction program is highly recommended. Our health coach will assess the risk of drinking and provide support and motivation needed to help you reach your health goal. The program uses the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), an internationally validated screening tool to screen for alcohol risk.

What's included?

You will receive 10 free coaching sessions with their own personal health coach and a book containing information about appropriate alcohol intake, an alcohol facts booklet and an alcohol journey book to help keep participants motivated and record their progress.

How to Enrol

The NSW Get Healthy Service is available Mon – Fri 8am – 8pm. To enrol simply call 1300 806 258 or register online at www.gethealthynsw.com.au to start your get healthy journey.

Learn more about how the Get Healthy Service can help you here.

In the event that drugs become a problem for you, discover more about how to identify the problem and where to get help.

Drugs and the law

​Preservation of life is a law enforcement priority. Police will not be called to a drug overdose unless there is a threat of danger to ambulance officers or if the overdose becomes fatal and the person dies. Hospitals and doctors also DO NOT notify the police if you request medical attention for a suspected overdose.

NSW Police on MDMA / Ecstasy and the law:

“You are breaking the law if you possess, use, manufacture, import or sell ecstasy. In NSW, if you are found guilty of possessing or using ecstasy, you could get a fine of up to $5,000, and/or other penalties including community service work or a term in prison of up to 2 years. These penalties apply to both adults and young people aged between 10 and 18 years.”

For further information visit NSW Police | Drugs and Alcohol.

When drugs become a long-term problem

Recognising that you have a problem with alcohol and drugs can be a confronting experience but help is available. If drugs are getting in the way of you achieving your goals, studying, working or having quality relationships, or if you experience the following symptoms, it may be time to get help.

• Often feeling sick or low in energy
• Changes in mood, either feeling more anxious or unhappy or frequent ups and downs
• Trouble sleeping, eating or doing normal daily tasks
• Missing study or work or not doing things you were meant to
• Difficulty controlling how much alcohol and drugs you use
• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions

If you think your alcohol or drug use is becoming a problem give an Alcohol and Drug Information Service (ADIS) counsellor a call on 1800 250 015, they are available 24 hours, 7 days a week to provide confidential support and advice.

​Got a question about hep B or hep C? Call the Hepatitis Infoline for confidential information, support and referrals, across NSW. 

You can also search their online Services Directory to find hepatitis services near you. Access the directory by clicking here

For the cost of a local call (except from mobiles), professional Quitline advisors provide encouragement and support to help you cut down, quit smoking or stay quit. Quitline also offers multilingual services.

Call Quitline and

• Request a free quit kit
• Talk to the specially trained telephone advisors
• Take part in the free callback service, where advisors ring back to support you while you are quitting

Saturday and Sunday 9.00am – 5.00pm

Public Holidays 9.00am – 5.00pm​

Outside these hours you are welcome to leave a message with your name and contact phone number and a Quitline Advisor will call you back.

Websites for quitting

NSW Quitline website
Australian Quitline website
Smartphone Apps for Quitting 

Callers can phone the following numbers to speak with a Quitline Advisor in their own language or to leave a message to be called back in their own language. Message instructions are given in the appropriate language.

​The Sexual Health Infolink is a telephone and internet based information and referral service. It is staffed by specialist sexual health nurses and promotes the sexual health of the NSW community by providing accurate and timely information and referral options. In particular, the service specialises in HIV and STI risk assessment, testing, treatment and support. The service also provides specialist support to nurses, doctors, counsellors and other professionals who are caring for people with sexual health problems. 

The telephone line is open from 9:00am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).

Also visit Play Safe which is a sexual health website for young people. It features a sexual health Q&A service, service locator, online forum and a quiz. Click on the button below.

This is a line for people who have concerns about psychostimulants (crystal, ice, coke, MDMA, etc.) use. STL operates 24 hours, 7days a week, offering education, information, support, referral, and counselling for people concerned about stimulants, STL can also refer people to treatment services that specialise in psychostimulants.

 STL was established when it was recognized that there was an increasing and problematic use of methamphetamines like crystal or ice in the community. It was also recognized that many people who used these types of drugs were hesitant in approaching traditional alcohol and other drug services.

 The STL can provide brief intervention to callers and may also provide referral to other, non-specialist alcohol and other drug services, including the Stimulant Treatment Program (STP). STP provides itensive counselling and other interventions, including medication, for those people who are wanting help to cutdown or stop their psychostimulant use.

​​​Available 24 hours per day, seven days a week.

1300 DRIVER is anonymous, confidential and staffed by experienced health professionals. Your phone number does not appear when you call and calls are not recorded.

Education, information, one-off and ongoing support, and referrals for long haul truck drivers and their families with issues related to health, wellbeing, stress, anxiety, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, and lifestyle.

1300 DRIVER offers support via telephone, Twitter, and website 1300DRIVER.org.au.

If you are a long haul truck driver, and have questions or experience issues related to alcohol, tobacco or other drugs, including

• Struggling with managing sleep, long hours, alertness and thinking about stimulants;
• Having problems relaxing and getting sleep when you get home, and thinking about substances as a way to come down;
• Have anxiety and stress issues as a result of the job demands, and are looking at substances as a way to manage;
• Changing smoking habits to meet work demands;

Talk to 1300 DRIVER, get some answers and some support now.

If you have a truckie in the family and you are worried about them, call 1300 DRIVER for information and referral. Check out the 1300DRIVER website.

National organisation supporting #Truckies, including respite facility- Trans-Help Foundation