Funding for community drug projects at 'coalface' of drugs crisis drops as addict numbers rise

The budget submission by 14 Local Drug and Alcohol Task Forces said: 'An analysis of treatment episodes shows that there were 293 cases per 10,000 people in the most disadvantaged areas with just 61 to 66 per 10,000 in more affluent areas'. File picture: Getty

Community drug projects battling to provide essential services at the “coalface” of the drugs crisis have suffered a 4.5% drop in funding over the last 10 years, according to a coalition of local task forces.

In a pre-budget submission, the task force leaders said this cut in funding has happened at a time of “soaring inflation”, an “explosion” in the local population and “significant increases” in problem drug and alcohol use.