ATS Literature Review, Consultations & Trial - Odyssey House

Amphetamine‐Type Stimulants: Development of a Treatment Protocol
People with mental illness are much more vulnerable to the adverse effects of a whole range of
drugs. Hence people with schizophrenia who use cannabis (for example) have:
• higher rates of admission to hospital;
• higher doses of medication;
• higher rates of unemployment, suicide, and imprisonment; and
• more severe mental health problems.
Illicit drugs and alcohol can also interfere with the way in which prescribed medications work, and
increase the risk of side effects. In particular, alcohol can affect the rate of metabolism and cannabis
use may result in the person’s prescribed medication needing to be increased to provide a
therapeutic benefit.
It is generally accepted that rates of substance use are higher among those with mental illness
compared to those without, and that people who use illicit drugs are more likely to experience
mental illness than non‐users. Results from the National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2004
(AIHW, 2007) show that almost two in five persons who used an illicit drug in the past month
reported high or very high levels of psychological distress. The most common mental health
problems experienced by people who use illicit drugs are anxiety and mood disorders. Of particular
concern is the association between ATS, cannabis and mental health problems, particularly in young
people.
While it cannot be implied that cannabis use causes schizophrenia in people who would otherwise
not have developed it, there is good epidemiological evidence of a significant association between
cannabis use and the risk of meeting criteria for schizophrenia (Degenhardt & Hall, 2002). There is
also good evidence to suggest that cannabis use is a more important risk factor for psychotic
symptoms among those with a family history of, or pre‐existing, schizophrenia (Degenhardt, et.al.,
2007). Additionally, there is concern regarding the association between cannabis and ATS, especially
methamphetamine, with increased admissions of young people to acute psychiatric facilities with
apparent psychosis (Degenhardt, et.al., 2007).
Survey data from the 2005 report, Australian Secondary School Students’ Use of Over‐the‐Counter
and Illicit Substances, showed that 95% of secondary school students had never used
amphetamines, including methamphetamines and ice (White & Hayman, 2006). Amongst all
students surveyed around 1% indicated that they had used amphetamines regularly in the year prior
to the survey. Although the data shows a low usage rate in school students, with increasing age, the
proportion of students to have ever used amphetamines increases (3% of 12‐year‐olds; 8% of 16‐
year‐olds and 7% of 15‐ and 17‐year‐olds). Therefore, the pattern of amphetamine type substance
use in young people suggests a low level of experimentation with the drug and with very few
reporting recent use (White & Hayman, 2006). However, illicit and licit drug use in young people is
associated with serious road crashes, problems with drug misuses and dependence and future
polydrug use (Nicholas & Shoobridge, 2005).
1.7. Maternal and foetal health
Methamphetamine use in pregnancy has been associated with increased risk of miscarriage,
premature birth and problems in the newborn period. Babies born to mothers who are
methamphetamine users may also exhibit signs of withdrawal (OTIS, 2005). This includes jitteriness
and trouble sleeping and eating (OTIS, 2005). There have also been cases of birth defects, including
heart defects and cleft lip/palate, in exposed babies, but researchers do not yet know whether the
drug contributed to these defects (Smith, LaGasse, Derauf, Grant, et.al., 2006).
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