Border drug use growing as more seek help for ice addiction

People from the region took part in a national drug survey which showed 14.3 per cent of people over 14 had used drugs in the previous 12 months.

The statistics are up from 9.5 per cent three years ago, but the figures also show younger Australians are less likely to smoke, drink and use drugs.

Across the country, an increasing number of people are using more than one drug at a time, the use of inhalants is growing, and 1.2 million Australians are estimated to have used ice at least once.

The percentage of Australians who smoked last year was 13.1 per cent, down from 15.5 per cent in 2016, and risky drinking declined by two percentage points.

Government drug support has scaled back during the pandemic with less supervision available for those who go through court.

Odyssey House circuit breaker program manager Andrew Hick said demand for rehab beds remained high, but the impact of coronavirus on drug use may not be seen for some time.

"In the last six months, anecdotally, we have had a greater demand for our service," he said.

"Traditionally alcohol was the major drug of choice for our residents.

"But over the last five years methamphetamine has become equal to the number of people coming with alcohol problems, with big penetration of ice in local communities."

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Mr Hick said substance issues could impact any family and those who attend the rehab, near Benalla, were in crisis when they arrived.

"If you've got an alcohol problem you'll lose most of the things that are important to you including your health, family and finances, but that might happen over a 20-year period," he said.

"If you're on meth, that disaster seems to occur to you much sooner.

"We see people who 18 months ago were living the same life as everyone else, and in 12 to 18 months they've lost everything."

Tackling substance problems in the community was a problem that had existed as long as substances have existed, Mr Hick said.

It takes a little under six months to get a bed at the rehab centre, which usually has 80 to 100 people on a waiting list.

Wodonga police Inspector Paul Hargreaves said intervention was important, with drugs a "complex" issue.

"The last thing we want to see is people hurt and harmed by an offender, because of a nasty drug habit that has grown unabated without intervention and support from the community," he said.

"We would rather prevent it than go out and arrest an offender.

"For us to be able to identify where drugs are being grown, in someone's possession and being sold, we generally rely on community support."

Inspector Hargreaves said a large amount of criminal activity was linked to drugs, often to fund people's habits or pay debts.

Police are also catching more drug drivers.

But he said excess alcohol use also caused many issues through violence.

"If you've got an alcohol problem you'll lose most of the things that are important to you including your health, family and finances, but that might happen over a 20-year period," he said.

"If you're on meth, that disaster seems to occur to you much sooner.

"We see people who 18 months ago were living the same life as everyone else, and in 12 to 18 months they've lost everything."

Tackling substance problems in the community was a problem that had existed as long as substances have existed, Mr Hick said.

It takes a little under six months to get a bed at the rehab centre, which usually has 80 to 100 people on a waiting list.

Wodonga police Inspector Paul Hargreaves said intervention was important, with drugs a "complex" issue.

"The last thing we want to see is people hurt and harmed by an offender, because of a nasty drug habit that has grown unabated without intervention and support from the community," he said.

"We would rather prevent it than go out and arrest an offender.

"For us to be able to identify where drugs are being grown, in someone's possession and being sold, we generally rely on community support."

Inspector Hargreaves said a large amount of criminal activity was linked to drugs, often to fund people's habits or pay debts.

Police are also catching more drug drivers.

But he said excess alcohol use also caused many issues through violence.