Australian gov't launches taskforce to combat ice drug epidemic

The Australian government on Wednesday announced the formation of a special taskforce to combat the nation's ice drug epidemic.

The Australian Crime Commission has reported that ice usage had almost doubled over the past year and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott told reporters in Sydney that immediate action had to be taken to address this serious problem.

"The propensity for violence, the propensity to subsequent very serious mental illness, the propensity to disfigurement which ice produces means that this is a drug epidemic way beyond anything that we have seen before," Abbott said.

"The problem is getting worse and that's why we are ramping up our response."

Police in all states have been addressing the problem but now there will be a national body that will make policing more targeted, efficient, coordinated and effective.

Former Victorian police commissioner Ken Lay will lead the taskforce and assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash and Justice Minister Michael Keenan will oversee its work.

"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.

"While these initiatives are being rolled out at the local, state and territory level, there is a role for the commonwealth government to assist in co-ordinating and assessing their effectiveness in addressing the ice epidemic." Endi