The launch, at Garstang Methodist Church, which featured a variety of speakers including Rev Derrick Bannister, mayor of Garstang Joan Williams, Chief Inspector Tracie O'Gara, and counsellor Sue Chester, was hailed a success by organisers.
The scheme will include monthly talks by professionals and bi-monthly meetings, as well as an involvement from local school children, who have been assigned as 'Pack It In buddies.'
Opening the event, Mr Bannister welcomed everyone into the church and thanked them for attending the launch of the project, which he said he hopes will be of benefit to everyone in the community.
Church worker Will Nightingale then gave an emotional speech, describing how his small idea to provide somewhere for those affected by drugs and alcohol abuse to go for a chat and for shelter had grown into something "beyond hopes and dreams."
He said: "This idea has grown incredibly bigger than I could have dreamt about. Pack It In is about letting people know that there is support out there.
"We don't just want you to come along and we just give you information. We want to care for you. We want to provide a place where hope is found.
"Pack It In is pro-active. This is not just a drop-in centre. We want to help people who have abused alcohol and drugs to move from hopelessness to hope, and we won't do this unless we have the support of the community.
"Together we can care for those who really need our care and support."
Chief Inspector O'Gara added: "We can support initiatives, but what we do need is the community to work with us. We can't solve problems on our own.
"People think it's just the police who deal with drugs and alcohol problems. But so many other agencies are affected.
"The public are demanding our services more and more and we tend to deal with people in a more reactive way. But if we can start nipping things in the bud we can do something about that demand. It is all about early intervention."
Coun Joan Williams spoke of the devastating effect drugs and alcohol can have on friends and family. She told the audience of her brother, who died from an addiction to alcohol, and her other brother's wife, who is a struggling alcoholic.
She said: "How would you feel if your friend came to you and said 'I'm going to destroy you'? I would feel very upset and hurt. You think drink and drugs are your friends. They are not. I fully support this scheme."
The launch was rounded up with a speech by PCSO Lisa Dennett, who has played a leading role in the project.
She said: "We can't change the world, but we can educate people within that world."
A slide show, created by Year 8 Garstang High School pupils, which thanked all local organisations and businesses which had donated money and support towards the project. was then presented, and those who had attended were invited into Wesleys coffee lounge for drinks and special celebration cakes.