Pubdate: Wed, 18 Feb 2004
Source: New Zealand Herald (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2004 New Zealand Herald
Contact:  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/300
Author: Kevin Taylor, Political Reporter
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

THE FIRST XV THAT NOBODY WANTED

The Government has named 15 areas of New Zealand it says are the 
"worst-affected" by P and other illicit drugs.

Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton yesterday announced a $2.55 million 
anti-drug initiative targeting the areas, most of which are in the upper 
North Island.

Mr Anderton said fighting the war against P - the pure form of 
methamphetamine - and other illicit drugs had become easier because the 
worst-affected areas would now have "action on the ground".

The list resulted from work by Massey University's Centre for Social Health 
Outcomes, Research and Evaluation and the university's Whariki Maori 
research team.

Information used to make the list included police apprehension numbers, 
school drug suspension statistics, Ministry of Social Development social 
deprivation and youth unemployment numbers, and information from treatment 
centres.

Centre director Professor Sally Casswell said there were many other areas 
of the country that were probably in as much need.

"It was very, very hard to settle in on the final 15. Some of it was 
definitely to do with whether there were providers in those communities who 
were able to do the job."

But she said the 15 chosen areas had high youth unemployment, high 
apprehension rates for drugs and large numbers of school suspensions.

The programme has already successfully run in Opotiki, Hokianga, 
Whangaruru, Nelson and Kaitaia.

The Community Action on Youth and Drugs (Cayad) programme has already 
started in all but one of the areas, however the list was only released 
yesterday.

Professor Casswell said the programme's objectives were to reduce demand 
and cut supply.

The programme was tailored to each area and involved educating the 
community to tackle the problem. Examples include:

* Encouraging the community to talk about how to tackle the problem in 
their area.

* Looking at community drug policies - like how a school responds to 
student drug use.

* Cutting supplies by encouraging reporting of drug operations - for 
example a tinny house in a residential street.

Green MP Nandor Tanczos said the party supported the programme's expansion.

"The Greens have been calling for increased funding of demonstrably 
effective drug education since 1999 and successfully negotiated $450,000 
over three years for the development of drug education in a 2002 Budget 
initiative."

Mr Tanczos said he attended a national hui of Cayad project workers during 
the last parliamentary term and had been a strong supporter since then. P 
epidemic

Areas "worst affected" by drugs which will get a Government-funded 
anti-drugs programme: * Whangarei, West Auckland, Waitakere City, 
Clendon/Manurewa, Central Auckland, Otahuhu, Otara/Papatoetoe, 
Huntly/Morrinsville, Tauranga/West Bay of Plenty, Whakatane, Tairawhiti, 
Horowhenua, Wanganui, Dunedin. * Hastings-based regional service Programme 
currently runs in: Opotiki, Hokianga Whangaruru, Nelson, Kaitaia.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom