The City of Greater Bendigo is considered a major rural city in Victoria. Population more than 111,110 and 41.5 per cent are unemployed (2014 Wikipedia). Bendigo has a limited night life and leisure activities, no beach or amusement parks and not enough business to employ its population.

All these unemployed people need money, yes? People are bored and crave stimulation or just need something to do. So this is the predicament - nearly half of our population could potentially be self-employed drug dealers. 

The dead-set truth is Bendigo is riddled with the drug ice. If you want to buy ice, you go to your neighbour. It's that easy. 

Just in the past year the street price of ice has halved in value, because it is so accessible. With so many drug dealers, there is competition.

Smoking ice has become a socially acceptable behaviour in Bendigo across all social statuses. Common among trades workers, bouncers, nurses, childcare workers etc. 

And children as young as 11 start experimenting with drugs, but kids these days are skipping the old "gateway drug" weed and starting out smoking ice.

Ice is a trap. Once you've had it you want more and a lot of users don't know when or how to stop, so they don't. The more you use the more ice you need to get achieve desired effect. 

Once addicted it becomes priority. Give up your whole pay then give up your job. Give up your belongings and then you give up other people's belongings. 

Theft in Bendigo is common. Some users don't even steal for the money or to trade for ice. They steal for the thrill whilst on ice.

While on ice users are content but have a need to do something and once fixed on a project it becomes their mission. Although tired, your mind is overactive and becomes paranoid with obsessive thoughts.

While coming down off ice users become lethargic, irritated, short-fused, possibly violent and paranoid. In relationships this is a bad combination, resulting in domestic abuse.

Owing money to dealers is another issue as racking up a debt is quicker than you think. Since there is no legal way a dealer can get what money is owed to them, inhumane and forceful tactics are used. 

If you are lucky you will only have to hand over valuable items like a car as collateral, and not something as valuable as your life.

This information is from my personal experience, things I've seen or heard or done. I fear for the future. I don't know how to stop the ice epidemic. But something needs to be done.

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