The first Australasian Amphetamine Conference will tackle the ever-increasing problem of amphetamine use and the tangled community and societal impact.

The conference will be held September 28 and 29 at the Sydney Convention Centre, Darling Harbour.

Its focus will be practical and engaging for health professionals, law and order personnel, community and mental health workers as well as staff in the harm reduction and drug treatment fields.

The conference features a keynote address by Professor Ernest Drucker, founder of the International Harm Reduction Association and editor-in-chief of the Addiction Research and Theory international journal.

The use of amphetamines and methamphetamines in Australia has increased since 2000/2001.

An estimated 214,400 respondents in the 2004 National Drug Strategy Household Survey reported having used amphetamines and methamphetamines during the month before the survey, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

An estimated 97,000 people used amphetamines and methamphetamines in the week before the survey.

•          For more information on the conference visit www.amphetamines.org.au.