In a Sydney Herald Sun article, Australia’s peak medical groups have warned that the NSW government needs to take greater action on the drug ICE, as it says drug and alcohol treatment services are struggling to cope with demand.
Commissioner of a inquiry into ICE, Professor Dan Howard SC, says the NSW state government is missing important opportunities by ignoring the 109 recommendations which were handed down from the inquiry, more than 18 months ago.
In addition, the article highlights that an, “alliance of medical bodies, including the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Australian Medical Association NSW the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, say long-term drug policy failures and delays in response are costing lives and damaging communities”.
“COVID-19 has made dealing with addiction issues even more urgent, with evidence of increasing use of alcohol and other drugs in the community. However, treatment services remain significantly underfunded and estimated to only meet the need of fewer than half those seeking help,” the groups said in a statement.
Recommendations from the inquiry included co-ordination of alcohol and other drug policy, decriminalisation, reframing substance use as a health issue and greater investment in treatment.
You can read the full article on the Sydney Herald Sun website.
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