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The West Australian – Ice consumption thrives despite crackdown

4 August 2016 – Authors: Grant Taylor and Gabrielle Knowles – Source: The West Australian

Ice remains easy to buy.
Ice remains easy to buy.

Australia’s “war on ice” has done little to dent the appetite for the drug, with a report finding that use has kept growing despite record seizures and arrests.

The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission’s annual Illicit Drug Data Report, released today, found arrests increased nationally by 35 per cent and seizures by 209 per cent in the 2014/15 financial year.

But waste water testing in the Eastern States showed ice consumption rising year on year.

The report highlighted a survey last year that found most addicts believed the drug remained easy to buy and was getting cheaper despite the purity increasing.

ACIC chief executive Chris Dawson said the report showed that ice remained the greatest threat to the Australian public of all illicit drugs but police alone could not solve the problem.

Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan said the Government had invested almost $300 million towards improving treatment, education and prevention in three years.

The State Government also recently committed an extra $30 million towards boosting treatment and education.

But the results of that investment would take time to filter through.