Australia's launches crystal meth task force

Australia today launched a national taskforce to tackle the "deadly scourge" of crystal methamphetamine or ice, which Prime Minister Tony Abbott said was ruining individuals and families.
"Ice use is a growing problem right around our nation. Ice is ruining individuals, destroying families, and hurting communities," Abbott said.
Abbott said that Australian Crime Commission considers ice poses the highest risk of all illicit drugs to our community with ice use rates almost doubling in the last twelve months.
Out of a population of 23 million Australians, some 400,000 took methamphetamine in any one year, he said.
More and more Australians are touched by the ice epidemic every day.

The first step in developing a National Ice Action Strategy will be the establishment of a National Ice Taskforce.

Assistant Minister for Health Fiona Nash and Minister for Justice Michael Keenan will oversee the taskforce and lead the government's response to the ice issue, he added.
The taskforce will be led by Ken Lay who was Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police from 2011 until very recently.
The overall purpose of the taskforce will be to examine all existing efforts to address ice and identify ways to take a systematic, comprehensive and coordinated approach to education, health and law enforcement, Abbott said.

"Because the ice scourge affects the whole community, the taskforce will consult widely to ensure that all aspects of this menace are being addressed," Abbott said.
Gvernments at all levels are taking steps to address ice but these efforts need to be targeted, efficient and effective.
Australia is an attractive market for drug traffickers.
Global production and trafficking of methamphetamine is growing amid increasing demand in east and south-east Asia, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime said last year.