Government uses 'full arsenal' to fight P
The government has outlined comprehensive policy changes to fight ‘P’, but it is also prepared to take further action if warranted, Prime Minister John Key said today.
In a speech in Auckland, Mr Key announced the government would use "the full force of its arsenal" to fight its use in New Zealand, which has one of the highest proportions of P users in the world.
Mr Key said P addiction created crime, affecting law-abiding citizens. He referred to some of the more high-profile crimes committed by P users, including a P-fuelled car chase down the Auckland motorway ending in the death of a 17-year old, a samuari sword-weilding man on a violent rampage, William Bell and the RSA shootings.
The planned changes include making pseudoephedrine a prescription only, Class B2 controlled drug, anti-crime initiatives, Ministry of Health funding into treatment for addiction, 40 dedicated Customs offers, a police methamphetamine control strategy and a review of the Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Act 1966.
The steps follow advice from officials and government agencies, who have been working for months on recommendations, including a report by Chief Science Advisor Professor Peter Gluckman on the reduction of access to or elimination of pseudoephedrine in cold and flu medication.
Professor Gluckman's report found the alternative to pseudoephedrine, called phenylephrine, was already being used in up to three quarters of the cold and drug medications used in New Zealand.
Mr Key said although pseudoephedrine was sourced form offshore, police evidence showed domestically-bought cold and flu medication in up to a third of the P labs busted each year.
“The government is adopting a multi-pronged approach to fighting this dangerous scourge by cracking down on precursors, breaking the supply chain, providing better routes into treatment, supporting families and community, and strengthening leadership and accountability.”
But he said the government would take further action if warranted. “Throughout the world, wherever leaders have promised to eradicate drug use they have found it to be an elusive goal. That is why the government intends to come at the problem from all directions…”
The moves include:
• Making pseudoephedrine a Class B2 controlled drug (prescription only)
• Using proceeds of crime legislation to fund Police and Customs activities to fight gangs and organised crime, along with the expansion of drug treatment services
• A $22 million MOH investment into short and long-term treatment for P addiction (available to more than 3,000 more patients over the next three years)
• An additional 40 dedicated Customs officers
• A police methamphetamine control strategy, from November, to use intelligence in new ways to target gangs, investigate drug syndicates, target P cooks and seize assets and funds
• A review of the Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Act 1966, to provide more effective means for families and doctors to get P addicts into compulsory assessment and treatment
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Comments and questions4
For mine, a good start by the PM, but at the end of the day, and soon I hope he ignores the self interested bleating of the pharmaceutical industry and chemists and just bans pseudoephedrine from NZ FULL STOP.
Nice and easy.
No prescriptions, no hospital use, no excuses just outright prohibition and anyone [and assiciates] caught with it, using it, manufacturing it, supplying it, or with the chemicals goes for the high jump - no exceptions.
One strike and you're out.
Preferably in a tent in Waiuru.
I fully support any goverment action that leads to the complete elimination of drugs and alcohol and if possible gambling fron the surface of the earth. Reward the users financially from the money saved by ACC, hospitals in treatment etc.
Good start. Now stop funding idiots like Ross Bell who want out kids to take P , but not drink too much water
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