Federal Government guidelines on treating people with amphetamine overdose were released at the Australasian Amphetamines Conference in Sydney last month.
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing Christopher Pyne launched two kits for use by health care workers in hospital emergency departments and paramedics.
Figures presented at the conference showed 9% of Australians have tried amphetamines and they are the second most commonly used illicit drug after cannabis.
Mr Pyne said methamphetamine was the most commonly reported drug injected by drug users in 2004 and sometimes led to psychotic or violent behaviour that made it difficult for health professionals to help victims. 'Increased levels of abuse of the more potent forms of methamphetamine are presenting new challenges for front-line drug and alcohol workers,' Mr Pyne said.
The kits include a sedation protocol for the use of benzodiazepines; assessment guidelines; mad recommendations for management of severe behavioural disturbance and medical problems of psychostimulant toxicity.