Growing seizures of drug points to its popularity. Police have revealed exactly how many drugs are being pulled off the streets - and cocaine looks to be making a comeback. Figures released to the Weekend Herald show 5469 grams of cocaine was seized by police up to August this year, much higher than in previous years. Methamphetamine and Ecstasy have dropped away, while the emergence of "unknown powders" seized by police and Customs has increased substantially in the last year. Massey University researcher Dr Chris Wilkins said the amounts of cocaine discovered were still low, however it appeared to be growing in popularity. [continues 570 words]
The "three strikes" law could see some of the worst criminals still eligible for parole depending on the order in which they commit their crimes, a criminologist has said. The law, which National and Act have agreed to pass, opens the way for huge inconsistencies in sentencing, said Professor Greg Newbold. The University of Canterbury criminologist said an offender who committed two assaults and a murder - in that order - would be locked up for life, because the maximum sentence for murder was life imprisonment. [continues 412 words]
A levelling-out in the use of the drug P has coincided with an increase in Ecstasy use in New Zealand, new research suggests. In the annual survey of frequent drug users, the Illicit Drug Monitoring System reported an increased wariness among users of methamphetamine-based drugs, including P. IDMS lead researcher Dr Chris Wilkins said: "Methamphetamine is no longer the new drug on the block and users of that drug know that it can lead to problems." Survey respondents reported that fewer people they knew were using methamphetamine, and that the drug was more difficult to get hold of in 2008 compared with 2007. [continues 721 words]
BANNING party pills could create more problems than it solves, users and retailers say. Party pills will be banned by the end of the year but some are already warning the ban will only start a black market and not stop people popping the pills. Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton announced on Thursday that benzylpiperazine (BZP) and related party pills, also known as herbal highs, will be classified as a Class C1 drug. Mr Anderton hoped that bill would be passed into law by the end of this year. [continues 617 words]
A NEW information guide will soon be distributed in Wanganui in the hope that it will help curb youth drug use. The Managers Guild Trust, formed by senior members of the New Zealand police, is distributing a Drug and Alcohol Awareness journal to homes in the region early next year. The journal is designed to give parents all the latest information on today's drug problems and is relevant to today's drug culture. Campaign co-ordinator Jeremy Andersen said it was difficult for parents to tell if their child was using drugs, especially with an increasing variety of mind-altering substances on offer. [continues 164 words]
