SOME good news from the federal government this week with the announcement a taskforce would be established to look at the growing problem of ice around the country.
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The plan for a National Ice Action Strategy has been given the thumbs up by medical workers and emergency services who battle with the issue on a daily basis.
In our local area it has been welcomed, with reports the problem continues to grow.
While there are reports that Wellington, dubbed little Antarctica at one stage, has a major problem with the drug, it is not the only town in the region suffering under its effects.
We are interested to see what will come from the strategy, with the first interim report to be completed by the middle of tise year.
One issue seen commonly in this area is the struggle for people once they get clean and head home.
If they are surrounded by the problem, it is understandable they may relapse.
The taskforce will focus on a wide variety of issues associated with the drug, with a pinpoint on education, health and law enforcement.
The problem with the drug, and the need for the taskforce has also been highlighted in a major Australian Crime Commission report released in March.
The report stated as many as 1.3 million Australians have tried methamphetamine in its crystalline or powdered forms, known as ice and speed respectively.
This level of use is among the highest in the world.