RELATED: Ambition a healthy goal for sickly state: experts HEIGHTENED focus on use of the drug ice risks glamourising substance abuse, a parliamentary inquiry has heard. The Tasmanian government has announced it will pump almost $5 million in its upcoming budget into tackling ice and other drug use. The money will predominantly fund up to 12 drug recovery beds on the North-West Coast, with a special focus on treating the region's methylamphetamine users. The announcement came amid a string of arrests aimed at disrupting and destroying ice and other hard drug distribution networks across the state. Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs Council of Tasmania acting chief executive David Gardiner acknowledged increasing ice use was a significant issue, but questioned the level of coverage it received. "We actually don't think we have adequate information to justify the current focus on methamphetamine," he said. "We're concerned that with the media focus on the issue that's its actually causing a bit of an over-representation and potential glamourisation and dramatisation of it being an epidemic." Mr Gardiner said there was insufficient data available to fully understand ice use, but said alcohol and cannabis remained the drugs of greatest concern. Health Minister Michael Ferguson has promised extra funding for data to get a clearer picture of ice use. Meanwhile, the Social Determinants of Health Advocacy Network has lamented the demise of Population Health. "Not only does this name no longer exist, the unit was reviewed in an appalling manner, and significant resources have been depleted," co-convenor Miriam Hezfeld said. The director of what is now known as Public Health Services, Siobhan Harpur, said the former body was restructured in response to state and federal budget cuts. Ms Harpur said half of "health and wellbeing" staff had been made redundant. "We had four teams, we now have two," she said. Ms Harpur said the government-owned body had given up on addressing individual populations including men, women, refugees and migrants, instead prioritising early childhood.
HEIGHTENED focus on use of the drug ice risks glamourising substance abuse, a parliamentary inquiry has heard.
The Tasmanian government has announced it will pump almost $5 million in its upcoming budget into tackling ice and other drug use.
The money will predominantly fund up to 12 drug recovery beds on the North-West Coast, with a special focus on treating the region's methylamphetamine users.
The announcement came amid a string of arrests aimed at disrupting and destroying ice and other hard drug distribution networks across the state.
Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs Council of Tasmania acting chief executive David Gardiner acknowledged increasing ice use was a significant issue, but questioned the level of coverage it received.
"We actually don't think we have adequate information to justify the current focus on methamphetamine," he said.
"We're concerned that with the media focus on the issue that's its actually causing a bit of an over-representation and potential glamourisation and dramatisation of it being an epidemic."
Mr Gardiner said there was insufficient data available to fully understand ice use, but said alcohol and cannabis remained the drugs of greatest concern.
Health Minister Michael Ferguson has promised extra funding for data to get a clearer picture of ice use.
Meanwhile, the Social Determinants of Health Advocacy Network has lamented the demise of Population Health.
"Not only does this name no longer exist, the unit was reviewed in an appalling manner, and significant resources have been depleted," co-convenor Miriam Hezfeld said.
The director of what is now known as Public Health Services, Siobhan Harpur, said the former body was restructured in response to state and federal budget cuts.
Ms Harpur said half of "health and wellbeing" staff had been made redundant.
"We had four teams, we now have two," she said.
Ms Harpur said the government-owned body had given up on addressing individual populations including men, women, refugees and migrants, instead prioritising early childhood.
