Pubdate: Thu, 17 Mar 2005
Source: Southland Times (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2005, Southland Times Company Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.southlandtimes.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1041
Author: Chalpat Sonti

TALES OF HORRORS OF P

If you thought the dangers of P were overstated, you have not heard Pita 
Sharples talk about it.

The high-profile Maori academic and politician is in Invercargill to hold 
seminars about the dangers of the drug.

However, he does not see P as just any drug.

He can reel off horrific stories about P users.

Most are too graphic for a family newspaper, but Invercargill school pupils 
will hear all about them at three seminars today.

Dr Sharples said yesterday this was the only way to get the dangers across 
to teenagers.

However, it was not only the young or poor at risk. Everyone was.

"I have middle-class people coming to me. A man wanting to kill his son 
because he's caused havoc among his family (by using P).

"Kids trying to hang themselves because their parents are addicted ... real 
sad stories."

He had little doubt where the blame lay.

"The police have closed down a lot of (P manufacturing) labs and a few gang 
leaders have been prosecuted, but the importers and organised crime haven't 
been touched."

While previously many of the ingredients had been sourced through chemist 
shops, pharmacists had managed to stop much of this, Dr Sharples said.

As a result, many ingredients were being imported.

White motorcycle gangs were the chief beneficiaries from the explosion in P 
use, Dr Sharples said.

"It's big business for them. When they go to jail they don't care about 
nine-year prison sentences.

"They stash money in plastic garden hoses, under swimming pools, you name 
it. When they come out they still have millions of dollars."

He advocated the Western Australian approach to dealing with these people.

"Over there, if they are caught distributing, cooking or selling drugs they 
lose all their finances. Anything in their name will go - bank accounts, 
cars or property.

"Now there are no major drug lords there. They've all moved (to other 
Australian states)."

And what of the south? Although P has not been a high-profile drug in this 
part of the country, it would be silly to think it was not being used here, 
Dr Sharples said.

"Last time we were here (November 2003) the Narcotics Anonymous guy told us 
he couldn't handle all the cases. There's no doubt it's out there.

"It started off in motels and garages in Auckland, then moved to little 
country towns. Now it's all over the place."
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MAP posted-by: Beth