It’s highly addictive nature means people are quickly hooked. Drug experts say it takes only one score for someone to become addicted.

Ice is one of the reasons for an escalating crime rate and is often used as an excuse in court for someone carrying out an offence. Too many times this drug has turned normally gentle, loving people into drug-addled thieves who would turn on their nearest and dearest to get money for their next fix.

Police task forces have been established and government committees have been formed in an effort to get this most addictive of drugs off the streets.

Now the community is being asked to help fight the war against ice.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced a million-dollar "dob in a dealer" campaign to help tackle the national ice scourge. The new national push to encourage members of the public to report suspected drug laboratories and dealing operations will be modelled on a Crime Stoppers campaign right here in Victoria.

"The fight against ice and illegal drugs can only be effective when the community and law enforcement agencies work together," Mr Abbott said.

Indeed, the community is sick and tired of bearing the brunt of this epidemic. The community is angry at being the victims of these addicts who go on wanton crime sprees in an effort to feed their habit. We are sick of the “I was on ice” excuse being brought before the courts, almost as a justification for their actions and their crimes.

Colloquially, being a “dobber” is often frowned upon in Australian society. But if it takes dobbing in a neighbour, a relative, a friend to bring this scourge to an end, then so be it.

But independent senator Nick Xenophon dismissed Prime Minister Abbott’s announcement as "window-dressing" unless other measures were put in place such as witness protection. Senator Xenophon called for a massive boost to drug rehabilitation programs to make them more affordable and wants family members of addicts to get the power to launch mandatory interventions.

These measures, together with this new national campaign, must surely bring about change.