Senator Jacqui Lambie has penned a heartfelt plea for policy change on the back of speaking out about her son’s addiction to methamphetamine, more commonly known as ice.

There has been a concerted effort to combat the drug in Australian society, with Senator Lambie the latest politician to speak of the toll the drug has taken on her family.

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In an open letter in Tasmanian newspaper The Mercury, Senator Lambie said she refused “to allow this drug, and the people who make it, sell it and profit from it, to continue to ruin my son’s life, the lives of many other addicts and their families”.

“I’m at my wit’s end,” she said.

“I refuse to watch, helpless, as ice seizes my child and turns him into a stranger.

“A stand against this drug needs to start in our Federal Parliament.

“We are role models and legislators — it is our responsibility to lead change and protect our constituents.”

On Monday, she called for the development of a national drug policy with provisions for involuntary detox, giving parents the power to get their children rehabilitative help.

Senator Lambie is currently drafting a private members bill which includes a “three-step, whole of community process”, incorporating early intervention and prevention, treatment and a reduction of the supply of drugs.

“Schools and families need to work together to teach and display positive skills such as honesty, responsibility, self-esteem and resilience,” she wrote.

“All drug and alcohol services need the necessary funding and training to carry out early intervention and prevention programs on top of treatment — not as an afterthought.

“Law enforcement needs stronger powers and resources to deal with the supply issue. And families need better access to support and resources.”

Senator Lambie is not the first politician to speak of the ripple effects of ice addiction.

Northern Territory Police Minister Peter Chandler recently revealed his own son’s battle with the drug, saying it had “torn at the very fabric of my family”.