Northland’s meth crisis: ‘There’s no magic wand for any of this’
Wastewater testing has shown methamphetamine use tripled in Northland last year, which now has the unenviable title of meth capital of New Zealand.
The most interesting feature of the Northland meth boom is that it’s being driven by home-bake meth, not imported meth from South American Cartels or Triad contacts.
TDB argued that ACTs weird desire to bring back the meth precursor would immediately lead to robberies, and it has…
Pseudoephedrine medicines the only thing taken in Motueka pharmacy break-in
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- Unichem Motueka was burgled on Saturday, and the co-owner and pharmacist says only pseudoephedrine-containing cold and flu medicines were taken.
- Pseudoephedrine is used to relieve a blocked or stuffy nose.
- Recent law changes mean these medicines can be purchased by the public from a pharmacist without prescription.
…these thefts would immediately fuel a new home-bake industry…
Officials back planned return of pseudoephedrine sales but suggest meth production increase
Officials have advised Associate Health Minister David Seymour, who leads the Misuse of Drugs (Pseudoephedrine) Amendment Bill, that the move comes with risks including a potential increase in domestic meth production, a higher likelihood pharmacies would be ram-raided and the potential for improper use.
…this is exactly what has happened in Northland.
Allowing Pseudoephedrine to be sold back over the counter generated a new home-bake industry as smaller players locked out of global supply chains moved into the market.
ACT always claim they support small business, but supporting the local meth trade? I did not have that on my bingo card.
This isn’t social policy, it’s the plot to Breaking Bad!
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There is no other way of saying this but Seymour is a very stupid stupid stupid person…
Shouldn’t there be a record of the amount of pseudoephedrine sold/imported into the country? It seems likely that a local production of meth will resume although I asked the local chemist and he said that most of it was still coming in via boats at the west coast. That’s for the south island anyway.
The other side of the coin is addressing the reasons why people take the meth. Upsurge cannot have come from a few home labs. Big dealers are not going to allow a few tinpot cookers disturb their trade.
Upsurge is caused by people looking for what? Why are people taking bigger doses and more frequently?
If we look at the weekly expenditure figures there is a whole lot of money going into distributors pockets
“The weekly social harm of methamphetamine use in this quarter is estimated to be $34 million, and for cocaine, $2.1m.”
An awful lot of people not buying groceries, about $1.8 billion a year. Not going to come from cooking a few packets of cold medicines.
Interestingly
“Helm said the Te Ara Oranga programme in Northland for reducing harm from methamphetamine had been effective, and should be rolled out nationally.”
Worth a read; https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/536391/cocaine-methamphetamine-use-soars-in-new-zealand
I can only comment on my experience in the 80’s with alcohol and marijuana which was a bit of FOMO and looking for fun and excitement. Once people get addicted that is a different ballpark and not something that I have experienced but if their living conditions and future prospects are miserable I can understand why people would think that illicit drugs were the answer. There are some who combine drug use with a “responsible” life and the pleasure they get from it obviously satisfies something inside them while still allowing them to contribute to society so the constant negative image of drug users probably has them switch off and ignore any health information that they should know. If we had a government that made decent affordable housing, education and reliable employment a priority I’m sure that our drug problem would reduce, some people are wired differently and take higher risks so it’s never going to stop but a reduced demand is the only way to solve the supply issue as people don’t usually persist in unprofitable ventures. I found that being born again makes a big difference but that is a personal choice also.
Only those with serious brain trauma believe Seymour is good for this country.
Look at his picture above, it even looks like he’s administered 10 boxes of the stuff.
“Only those with serious brain trauma believe Seymour is good for this country.”
Bob the first thinks Seymour is good for the country, enough said.
Martyn, you did warn the right this would happen but oh no, they all dismissed you as a radical lefty. What they failed to do is give it any critical thinking which is the rights default mechanism.
This is the Government of law and order, people.
If probably doesn’t make any difference to know but Motueka isn’t in Northland.
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