Pubdate: Thu, 17 Jul 2003
Source: Western Leader (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2003, Independent Newspapers Limited
Contact:  http://www.stuff.co.nz/inl/index/0,1008,0a1500,FF.html
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2237
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

ANTI-P PROJECT PROVES POPULAR

An Anti-Drug Message Being Developed In West Auckland Is About To Take The 
Country By Storm.

Waitakere and North Shore police iwi liaison officers Andre Morris and John 
Cassidy have been working on an education package with Hoani Waititi Marae 
representatives Pita Sharples, Novi Marikena and Shane White.

The five men have been promoting the scheme at marae and various 
organisations including Work and Income and the Women's Refuge for the past 
three to four months.

Last Friday it was unveiled to over 200 people, including officials from 
the Police Commissioner's office, government departments and social 
services agencies.

The scheme aims to combat the methamphetamine, or P, epidemic.

Mr Morris says demand for the programme has grown quickly and taken them 
all by surprise.

He now hopes it will be available nationwide next month. Mr Morris says 
different providers will be able to tailor the programme for their communities.

"Our style of presenting might be different in west Auckland than south 
Auckland."

Mr Morris says Friday's meeting boosted community support of the scheme by 
showing people how bad the methamphetamine problem is. "It was really 
informative and we got good feedback," he says.

Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey, who attended the meeting, agrees.

"I think it was an outstanding event, not just for Waitakere but the whole 
of New Zealand," Mr Harvey says.

"Out of the meeting came stories of young New Zealanders selling themselves 
for P. It just creates an absolutely destructive situation.

"I think it's the most serious problem our young people face because it's 
so addictive. This is really dicing with death."

Mr Harvey says the education programme is a step in the right direction.

"This initiative, from this marae, will now be taken nationwide."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom