AMA welcomes powers to sedate ice addicts

The Australian Medical Association has welcomed new powers for emergency doctors and nurses to subdue violent ice addicts.

Under new guidelines, any addict who refuses to swallow sedatives will reportedly be given an injection in the hospital emergency room.

AMA president Professor Brian Owler said doctors had already called for all hospitals to have appropriate security to deal with the increasing number of patients affected by ice.

"We hear stories from our colleagues working in emergency departments about the impact that ice addicts have ... on the dangers to health personnel," he said.

"Also on the time it takes in terms of subduing these people, particularly when they're in extremes of psychosis."

In one horrific case a woman chewed off her own toes and another man refused to have his finger reattached after slicing it off, The Daily Telegraph reports.

It says the guidelines instruct emergency department workers to "avoid prolonged eye contact" and "sudden or threatening gestures" when dealing with ice addicts.