Cracks in the Ice is an online toolkit providing evidence-based, and up-to-date information and resources about crystal methamphetamine ('ice') for the Australian community. The toolkit is free to access and is available 24/7, anywhere in Australia. The toolkit provides resources for community members, families & friends, people who use ice, health workers, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

For more information about Cracks in the Ice, visit About Us. 

Cracks in the Ice is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and was developed and maintained by the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, the University of Sydney. Cracks in the Ice is an online toolkit providing evidence-based, and up-to-date information and resources about crystal methamphetamine ('ice') for the Australian community. 

See About Us for more information including the community and expert input into development of Cracks in the Ice. See About this resource portal for information on the development of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples portal. 

A number of services throughout Australia can provide information, support and treatment options for people who are experiencing problems with crystal methamphetamine ('ice') and other drugs.

A variety of free and confidential telephone and online support services are listed on the "When and where do I get help?" page. These support services can help you identify the best treatment and support options for your personal situation and can connect you with specialised services in your local area.

Your local doctor can also be a good starting point – they can discuss your concerns with you and provide referrals to other services that you might need.

There are also support services available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Cracks in the Ice does not provide counselling services, clinical care, diagnosis, treatment, or crisis support. For emergency support, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or dial 000 for the police or ambulance. For other support options visit Get Support.

The Cracks in the Ice social media and email accounts are monitored Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Queries received outside of these hours will not be attended to until the next business day.  

No, Cracks in the Ice is a free resource funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. It is designed to provide the community with evidence-based and up-to-date information and resources about crystal methamphetamine ('ice').   

Some externally developed resources listed on Cracks in the Ice have associated costs, which are detailed on the page. 

A working internet connection is required to access the site. Time spent on the site and your data usage will depend on which resource you use (e.g., reading factsheets, watching webinars, downloading PDFs). Please keep this in mind when utilising resources. 

No. The Cracks in the Ice booklets and brochures are free resources delivered free of charge to all locations in Australia. These resources compliment the Cracks in the Ice online toolkit and are also funded by the Australian Government Department of Health.

Order Cracks in the Ice booklets and brochures.

Cracks in the Ice aims to provide an accessible website for all users. The Kanzi tool is available on all pages which provides language translation, speech to text, and accessibility tools such as font selection and light/dark contrast. For further information, please see Accessibility. 

As of April 2025, the Cracks in the Ice toolkit and resources had been accessed by over 1.4 million unique users, spanning 236 different countries/territories. 

The impact of Cracks in the Ice on user behaviour has been examined in multiple evaluations. A largescale community evaluation of Cracks in the Ice (n=2108) in 2018/19, published in one of the world’s leading health informatics journals, demonstrated interaction with Cracks in the Ice is associated with significant improvements in knowledge and decreases in stigmatising attitudes. The most recent study was completed by 736 participants and indicated that exposure to the Cracks in the Ice toolkit was associated with improved knowledge about crystal methamphetamine that persisted for at least one month following interaction with the toolkit. Further information on all reports and publications regarding the Cracks in the Ice toolkit is available at: Reports and Publications. 

Cracks in the Ice is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, and has been endorsed by numerous alcohol and other drug organisations: Endorsements and Affiliated Networks. Cracks in the Ice is led by a multidisciplinary team at the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use who are leaders in translational research and implementation. Cracks in the Ice has achieved extraordinary reach and impact since launch and received >4 awards in recognition of knowledge dissemination, excellence and innovation in mental health service delivery. See About Us for more information including the community and expert input into development of Cracks in the Ice. See About Us for information on the development of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples portal.

Sources: 

1. Google Analytics Report, retrieved 08/05/25.

The general process for selecting external resources (including factsheets, guidelines and online programs/training packages) to be included in Cracks in the Ice was as follows:

1. Potential content was identified by scoping of national and international online databases and collating all possibly relevant resources for inclusion.
2. Only high quality resources were selected for inclusion. External resources were assessed for eligibility for inclusion using an adapted version of the NHMRC Body of Evidence Matrix, opens a PDF document in a new window. Resources were independently reviewed by the Cracks in the Ice project team against the following criteria:

• Evidence-based: Was the resource developed on the basis of evidence?
• Impact and utility: Does the resource cover at least one issue relevant to ice, and of high importance?
• Generalisability: Is the resource relevant to the Australian community, and/or one or more target groups for Cracks in the Ice?
• Applicability: Is the resource applicable to the Australian context?
• Recency: Resources were only assessed for inclusion if they had been updated in past 10 years (2006-present), unless a justification could be made for inclusion (e.g. no other existing resources available).
• Duplication: Resources were not assessed for inclusion if their content substantially overlapped with other resources and/or existing content contained on Cracks in the Ice.

To say that a resource is “evidence-based” is to say that it is informed or supported by evidence. The evidence that supports or backs up a particular resource may take different forms. In the case of the factsheets listed on Cracks in the Ice, “evidence-based” means that the information provided in these factsheets comes from a reliable information source and is backed by research studies.

Click here for a full list of sources used in the development of the Cracks in the Ice website.

For example, to develop the “What is crystal methamphetamine ('ice')?” information page, researchers from a leading research institute, the National Health and Medical Research Council Centre of Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use at the University of New South Wales (now the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, website opens in a new window at the University of Sydney) conducted a review of published research studies reporting on the nature of the drug as well as the patterns of, and reasons for, ice use. Following this, the proposed “What is crystal methamphetamine ('ice')?” information page was reviewed by researchers and clinicians working in the field. These processes allow us to be confident that the information on our website is fact-based and accurate.

The evidence-base for resources is important, as this helps us to judge how reliable and effective the resource is. Not all information on the internet is reliable and accurate. To help you evaluate the resources listed on Cracks in the Ice, we provide information about the source of information at the bottom of each page (under “Sources”) and where relevant, who developed the resource (under "Developers").

For more information about the use of evidence-based practice in community health education and promotion, see: Armstrong, R., Waters, E., Crockett, B., & Keleher, H. (2007). The nature of evidence resources and knowledge translation for health promotion practitioners. Health Promotion International, 22, 254-260. https://heapro.oxfordjournals.org/content/22/3/254.full.pdf+html

Cracks in the Ice is an online toolkit providing evidence-based, and up-to-date information and resources about crystal methamphetamine ('ice') for the Australian community (About Us).  This website provides general information and should not be seen as a substitute for seeking professional advice. While care and consideration has been taken in the creation of material on this website, the University makes no representations, and accepts no responsibility, regarding the accuracy, completeness, reliability or suitability of the contents of this website. Users should make their own enquiries to verify the accuracy and suitability of the information.  

If you have any concerns, you can contact Cracks in the Ice via the contact form. 

There are a number of services available, visit Where to get help for more information. 

Our Privacy Statement outlines the details we collect when you use the site or provide your contact details. Use of personal information is limited to the purpose for which it was collected, unless the individual has provided express consent, or the use is otherwise authorised by law. All data handling practices are guided by the principles of transparency, necessity, and proportionality.  

Disclosure of personal information by Cracks in the Ice is governed by strict protocols to ensure compliance with privacy regulations and the protection of individuals' data. Personal information may only be disclosed under specific conditions and managed in accordance with the University of Sydney’s Privacy Procedures 2023. 

Cracks in the Ice does not ask for healthcare records or share information with My Health Record. 

Cracks in the Ice shares new resources and information via social media including Facebook, X and BlueSky. The Cracks in the Ice team values your comments and contributions. While we welcome contributions to our social media accounts, we do not necessarily endorse the content of those contributions. We ask that you remain respectful and follow these simple house rules:  

• Firstly, please comply with the platform’s terms of use e.g., Facebook’s Terms of Use (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms) , BlueSky Terms of Service (https://bsky.social/about/support/tos), X Terms of Service (https://x.com/en/tos). 

• Please keep your comments clean - no trolling, no abusive, bullying, threatening, defamatory, racist or discriminatory posts.  

• Keep it appropriate i.e., no spamming or posting offensive or inappropriate posts.  

• Take care. No posting of fraudulent, deceptive or misleading content that is in violation of copyright or any law or regulation.  

We retain the right to hide, remove or edit comments that we feel are inappropriate, disrespectful to other users, or inconsistent with the values of Cracks in the Ice. We retain the right to block a user from the page who acts in this way.  

For your and others' safety, we will hide or delete comments that share identifying or distressing information. If you are distressed and in need of urgent assistance, please see Get Support. Please note, however, that we do not have the ability to monitor comments continuously or reply to all messages individually. If you have any questions relating to these guidelines, please contact us.

If you have any questions, concerns or would like to suggest a resource for review, you can contact Cracks in the Ice via our contact form.  

If you have concerns about privacy please visit Privacy at the University for information about your reporting options. 

Cracks in the Ice is committed to supporting health consumers and making sure they know their healthcare rights. The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights is about high quality and safe healthcare. It explains what you, or someone you are caring for, can expect when receiving health care. 

Statement of Healthcare Rights: Click here to learn more about your healthcare rights 

There are a number of services that can provide information, support and treatment for alcohol and other drug concerns. Visit Get Support.