Ice, or crystal meth, has come from nowhere in less than three decades to emerge as the most popular illicit drug of choice in the nation.
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While methamphetamine has long been available in pill, powder and paste form, it did not take off as a street drug until ice, the crystallised version, became available in large quantities and at low prices.
There is good reason to believe ice is a clear and present danger to the lives of its many addicts in our region and, as result of the crimes they commit to support their habits, to the safety of the community.
Wagga has previously suffered the indignity of being branded Australia's "ice capital" in the national media.
In other media, in stories with former addicts, it is obvious that this is a problem not just plaguing Wagga.
While ice is no bigger problem in Wagga than in dozens of other regional centres, cities and towns across the country, it is a problem nonetheless.
And it is a problem we cannot ignore.
The drug affects more than just the people using it.
Contrary to popular opinion, ice is a drug that affects a broad cross section of people in our community.
Anyone can fall into the grip of addiction. As Brendan McCurry, the manager of the Calvary Riverina Drug and Alcohol Centre, says, no one ever sets out to become an addict.
The challenge is to determine what to do about this scourge, which the NSW government's new ice inquiry is aiming to assist with.
In 2015, the National Ice Task Force stated the first priority should be to support families, welfare workers and communities to better respond to people affected by ice.
"Families, frontline workers, and communities are struggling to respond to the growing number of dependent ice users...," the task force said in 2015.
"Frontline workers need guidance on how to engage with ice users... in particular where... violence is present."
Despite the fact more than three years have passed since those words were written, the situation hasn't got much better.
More than 250,000 Australians are believed to be regular users and this country has the highest rate of addiction in the world.
Let us hope the NSW special commission of inquiry succeeds where others have failed.
