Taking an entire chain of hydroponics stores out of the market will have no effect on commercial cannabis cultivation, a cannabis law reformer says. Police swooped on 35 businesses allegedly supplying cannabis growing equipment on Tuesday, including all 16 branches of Switched On Gardener. Police allege some employees were caught smoking cannabis. More than 500 police were involved in raids this week that led to the arrests of almost 100 people and the busting of 42 commercial cannabis operations. Business employees face charges including selling cannabis plants and dried cannabis over the counter. Some managers and directors have been charged with participating in an organised criminal group and cultivating cannabis. [continues 300 words]
Driving under the influence of drugs is "at least as big a problem" as drink-driving, with drug users admitting to potentially deadly behaviour behind the wheel, a study has found. Massey University's illicit drug survey, made public today, comes as a bill to give police greater powers to catch drugged drivers is set to be debated in Parliament next week. It is the first time in-depth drug-driving data has been collected in New Zealand. Most of the 404 frequent drug users interviewed by the university's Centre for Social and Health Outcomes in Auckland said they drove under the influence. [continues 534 words]
Three years ago, Roxy was on death row in a Rotorua pound. And though she still spends a lot of time behind bars, her future is looking bright. One of eight prison drug dogs nationwide, the labrador-staffordshire cross and her handler Marc Kilmister spend their days in jails between New Plymouth and Wellington searching for drugs coming in, and hunting out secret stashes inside. With an estimated 84 per cent of prisoners having had some form of drug addiction, it is an uphill battle. [continues 231 words]
Palmerston North is aiming to be the first New Zealand city to set up a support network for the families of pure methamphetamine addicts. At a meeting being held in the city's convention centre tomorrow night, city councillor Lew Findlay is bringing together families affected by the drug and hopes to establish a help and advice network. "For every P addict there are 10 people who are affected. There's plenty of treatment and support for methamphetamine users, but what about their families? They can be assaulted or robbed, but there is no help out there whatsoever," he said. [continues 244 words]
