A new report has called for radical changes to how meth addiction is dealt with in New Zealand.
The Helen Clark Foundation/Drug Foundation report says a tough on crime approach has failed, and moving to a health-based approach would be cheaper and more effective.
The report’s lead researcher Philippa Yasbek told Q+A we "need to change our paradigm on meth".
The authors of the report are calling for a fresh way of tackling methamphetamine use in New Zealand. (Source: 1News)
She said the current approach to methamphetamine forced addicts into crime to feed their habit, so one recommendation of the report was to undertake a limited research trial of a new therapy to provide addicts substitution drugs, or in some cases even small quantities of methamphetamine and a safe place to take it.
"We’re hoping to help people disengage from that black market," said Yasbek.
“The Government has talked a lot about taking a health-based approach, and we know a lot of people support a health based approach.”
Drug Foundation board member Tricia Walsh, who was led into drug addiction and prison after severe trauma in childhood, said her encounters with the criminal justice system didn’t help.
“There were a lot of times that I wanted to give up [stop using meth] but there wasn’t anything available right there in that moment.”
“There are brief moments when you’re feeling so bad that you want change, and change isn’t available. There’s waiting lists, where can I go? Where can I go that doesn’t cost thousands of dollars?” asked Walsh.
Walsh said the opportunity to engage in education helped transform the lives of her family, and in her East Coast town of Tinorito.
"We’re not that drug family now, we’re known for other things."
Northland trial programme Te Ara Oranga, an initiative run by the police, Northland DHB and community organisations, forms part of the inspiration for the report.
“It’s been incredibly successful, the evaluation shows that for every dollar invested it is returning three to seven dollars,” said Yasbek, adding that Te Ara Oranga should be rolled out nationwide.
That programme functions through early interventions with meth users, largely avoiding imprisonment as a tool.
Yasbek added that a focus on supply hasn’t been particularly effective, because the market will always find a way to compensate for drugs that get seized and destroyed.
“You read news reports of police making enormous busts, finding 500 kilograms or something of methamphetamine, and you see very little impact on consumption after that.”
“We can’t arrest our way out of this,” said Yasbek.
SHARE ME