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Hamilton is pushing to have an alcohol and drug treatment court after a successful pilot in Auckland.
Mayor Andrew King says there is a need for alternative options for those drug users who commit crime to fund their addiction.
He says the push has the backing from iwi health providers, addiction support providers, police and local judges.
He says domestic violence, the high volume of mental health patients and increasing violent crime rates nationally are symptoms of a society that has substance addiction issues.
"There needs to be a change in how we rehabilitate drug-addicted offenders if we want to change the addiction crisis facing New Zealand," Mayor King says.
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