ON TUESDAY 22 March the Federal Government announced plans to extend the National Ice Action Strategy (NIAS), with a promise to invest more than $343 million over four years to reduce the impact of ice, other drugs and alcohol in our communities.

This investment includes an additional $27.9 million being committed to support other critical drug and alcohol treatment projects in areas of identified need.

Close to $830 million is set to be invested in alcohol and other drug treatment services and programs over the next four years.

Former police officer and Member for Cowper, Pat Conaghan, said he had seen first-hand “the devastating impact of drug use on not just families but entire communities”.

Mr Conaghan said the investment would allow organisations in the Mid North Coast to continue “delivering innovative, community-based solutions to curb use of drugs such as methamphetamines”.

“This is particularly important for high-risk population groups, including people in rural and regional areas and indigenous communities,” Mr Conaghan said.

According to national wastewater drug monitoring, methamphetamine use has reduced for the second consecutive year, while MDMA, cocaine and heroin consumption have all fallen.

Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt said while this was a good sign, there is still work to be done.

“For too many Australians, illegal drugs are still an insidious scourge on our community, robbing families of their loved ones,” Minister Hunt said.

Estimates from 2019 suggest that roughly 300,000 Australians used methamphetamines in the past twelve months, with over half of these using crystal methamphetamine, or ice.

The four most common drugs that people seek treatment for are alcohol (34 percent), amphetamines (28 percent), cannabis (18 percent), and heroin (5.1 percent).