Retrieved from www.coffscoastadvocate.com.au
The Community Ice Action Team, made up of Jose and five other reformed addicts, has been launched on the Coffs Coast. CEO of the Australian Anti-Ice Campaign Andre’a Simmons visited Coffs Harbour for the launch. Photo: Kyle Hands Media
AFTER 13-years of ice addiction Jose Porcia had lost everything.
He had become homeless between stints in jail, committing petty crimes to support his addiction - a long fall from grace for the university-educated former finance worker.
Jose said it was back in 2003 when he had a thriving career in Sydney that a friend had first offered him the drug.
The selling point was that is was the drug for "successful people", something the friend claimed would boost the then 33-year-old's creativity and performance at work.
But his spiral into addiction was quick, and within two weeks Jose said he was chasing down a dealer.
"My career was taken away from me because I tried the drug once. All my education and everything I had learned didn't matter anymore," Jose said.
"It took everything away from me one by one, including my family.
Last week the head of AAIC Andrea Simmons along with our Care Team Coordinator Leeanne Butcher went to Coffs Harbour to train a new set of presenters that will engage with schools, prisons and the community on the North Coast of NSW.
These presenters are all former ICE addicts with lived in experience and know all about the true dangers and consequences of trying ICE even once. Over the course of the week they were trained in Dual Diagnosis and AAICs evidence-based practice presentation. Next they will be partnered with a more senior presenter to ensure they are fully trained and prepared to bring awareness and education to the community about the dangers of ICE.
It is the hope of both AAIC and the presenters that others do not succumb to dangers of ICE and experience the same torment that they have been through and the effects it has on themselves and those around them. We hope that with this new addition of presenters to the North Coast we will be able to have an impact within the community in reducing/eliminating the usage of ICE and helping those who are currently recovering or still suffering from addiction by providing support and awareness.
For more information please visit these articles:
NBN News | HOW FORMER ICE ADDICTS ARE LEARNING TEACHING SKILLS IN CUTTING EDGE PROGRAM
PRIME7 News North Coast | Team training
Picture this: a young, vivacious, successful woman, with a successful business, a loving family. Andrea Simmons outlined in vivid detail how she was partaking in a bit of a knees-up at a swank hotel in town. Lots of good company, banter, laughter. Somebody suggests to her “take a puff of this, it isn’t going to hurt you…” and – literally – her world of success and love goes up in the proverbial puff of smoke. A rapid descent into addiction, psychosis and other major health issues, her wealth destroyed. “I spent as much as $500 a day” she explained, “and I didn’t know any way I could get out”.Read the full article by Franz Huber
ANTI-ICE: The Australian Anti-Ice Campaign has expanded to Cairns, in a bid to crack down on the pervasive drug.
Campaigners will join local police and community members for a public awareness event, as they work to eliminate this devastating substance from our streets.
A new Walk Against Ice event will be held in Cairns as part of the Australian Anti Ice Campaign’s launch into Far North Queensland.
The Combined Rotary Clubs of Cairns and the Cairns Chamber of Commerce have partnered with AAIC for the event.
The Rotary Clubs have also provided direct financial sponsorships towards the cost of AAIC’s High School Anti Ice Education Workshops, which are scheduled to re-commence in Far North Queensland high schools this week.
The workshop presenters are all people like AAIC founder and chief executive officer Andre’a Simmons, who have recovered from methamphetamine (‘ice) addiction.
The Combined Rotary Clubs of Cairns and the Cairns Chamber of Commerce have partnered with the Australian Anti Ice Campaign (AAIC) to stage an annual Walk against Ice event in Cairns as part of AAIC’s launch into Far North Queensland.
The Rotary Clubs have also provided direct financial sponsorships towards the cost of AAIC’s High School Anti Ice Education Workshops which are scheduled to re-commence in Far North Queensland high schools next week after Cairns, Mareeba and Dimbulah High Schools hosted workshops late last year.
Read the full article on 4CA Cairns
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Col Lawson and Andre'a Simmons speaks on StarFM Cairns morning show. Audio provided by Star 102.7 Cairns |
