‘Ice forums’ strategy

A two-day forum will hammer out a strategy to beat ice use in Geelong, according to a leading policeman.
Superintendent Daryl Clifton said the forums this week would come up with “community-based solutions” to the drug scourge.
Ice, or methamphetamine, has increasingly affected communities across Victoria in the past few years. The drug has been linked to rising rates of crime and violence.
Ice-related ambulance calls increased 177 per cent in the past year. Geelong accounted for 20 per cent of calls outside metropolitan Melbourne.
“Like many communities across Victoria, Geelong and the Barwon region are feeling the effects of ice’” Supt Clifton said.
“It is clear that, while most areas have received a large amount of information on this issue, there is a need to act in preventing the use of ice and education our local communities.”
Supt Clifton, who chairs Greater Geelong Collective Community Effort on Substance Abuse, said “passionate and motivated” representatives would attend this week’s forums in a “leadership program like no other”.