BENDIGO will benefit from the state government's 'Ice Action Plan', announced by Premier Daniel Andrews on Thursday.
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The plan will see $18 million channelled into expanding drug treatment, with a specific focus on rehabilitation in rural and regional areas.
Bendigo Community Health Services programs executive director Anne Somerville said the funding increase rectified cuts to drug and alcohol services enacted last year during the former Coalition government's recommissioning of the sector.
Ms Somerville said the focus on rural and regional areas "couldn't have come at a better time".
"We were finding ourselves in a situation where our services were just overloaded with demand," she said.
"This reinvestment shows a vote of confidence in our community health services."
Ms Somerville said while ice was not any more prevalent in Bendigo than other drugs, its effects were more visible and destructive.
"With this particular substance the impact tends to wreak havoc in a way the community hasn't experienced before," she said.
The state government's plan will also see $500,000 put towards funding 'Community Ice Action Groups'.
Speaking at a forum in Bendigo on Thursday night to promote the role of sports clubs in combating drug use, Australian Drug Foundation national policy manager Geoff Munro applauded the plan's focus on community.
He said sporting clubs were well placed to contribute to the fight against drugs.
"Clubs are an expression of the community," he said.
"Drugs are in the community; we can't eliminate that, but a club is in a good position to educate its members.
"We're not saying clubs can solve the problems, but they can contribute."
He said a zero tolerance approach to drug use by clubs wasn't the answer.
"The worst thing they can do is kick [a drug user] out because then that isolates them even more. It's much more positive and practical to talk to that person and get them some help," he said.