Fair Treatment campaign to boost Tamworth drug treatment options kicks off in meeting

The city's version of Dubbo's successful Fair Treatment campaign kicked off on Wednesday night.

Social Justice Advocate at Uniting Alex Hogan said the campaign pitch was simple.

"We know what the return on investment is for treatment," she said.

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"So for every dollar invested in treatment you get $7 back into the community. And that speaks for itself. That kind of return is just phenomenal.

"In terms of what it does for people's lives, it gives people an option out of that vicious cycle of drug dependency."

Ms Hogan said the 700 per cent saving represented money saved because fewer people would be in the criminal justice system, but also health, social and economic improvements.

She said there were many Tamworth drug addicts crying out for help, but without the services available to help them in the city.

"Treatment makes good economic sense and good community sense, but it's also kind and loving," she said.

The Fair Treatment campaign launched its first public meeting on Wednesday, at the Southside Uniting Church.

Ms Hogan said the drug reform campaigners were "thrilled" that about 26 members of the community had turned up for the first planning meeting.

Representing a range of community groups, attendees helped develop the ultimate objective of the campaign, which still has not been finalised.

It will be some form of improved drug treatment option.

Fair Treatment convinced the state government to spend $7.5 million on a new drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation centre in Dubbo.

Ms Hogan said the campaign wouldn't achieve change overnight. It took two years in Dubbo.

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She said the next step is to identify leaders to coordinate more community engagement and community leaders.

"Last night is the beginnings of that key group of local activists," she said.

"And what we need to do now is to start to bring others along that journey with us."

Organised by the Uniting Church, the Fair Treatment campaign is part of a larger campaign to get drug treatment out of the criminal justice system and into the health system.

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