Drug-related crime rising, fuelling need for rehabilitation facility: lawyer

He said the region desperately need a residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre to combat the growing scourge on the community.

Mr Pugh said while there were criminals who would always attempt to sell illegal drugs, a rehabilitation facility would help decrease demand.

He has been lobbying for a facility for the south-west for a number of years.

"There is no long-term drug rehab in the south-west and the rehab facilities in Geelong are full," Mr Pugh said.

He said the result was a "revolving door" for his clients with substance abuse issues.

"My clients get off the drugs in prison and then they get out and end up going back because they're back on drugs," Mr Pugh said.

He said a lack of a residential rehab facility in the south-west amounted to "postcode injustice".

"The majority of my clients want to get help," Mr Pugh said.

"It also affects the criminal justice system because there are more and more people going to prison for drug-related offences.

"Most prison are already full and it costs $300,000 a year to keep a prisoner in prison. Drug rehab and corrections programs are much more effective."

Mr Pugh said the lack of a facility meant there was more demand for drugs, with GHB and heroin joining methamphetamine and alcohol as the most popular substances abused in the south-west.

"It's outrageous that all the resources for drug rehabilitation are concentrated in Melbourne and some other regional areas," he said.

"My clients need help and the government should be prepared to help an area which is affected hugely by drug crime."

Mr Pugh said crimes involving drugs were on the rise in the region.

"We've had some really serious crimes lately and most of those have had drugs involved," he said.

Last week, WRAD Health acting chief executive officer Mark Powell said the need for The Lookout facility was increasing.