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Archived Press Releases 2009 3rd March 2009

Police illicit drug strategy misses the target

(3rd March 2009)

The recently released Police Illicit Drug Strategy is a great disappointment to anyone hoping for effective intervention in Drug use, says Christine Davey, Sensible Sentencing's Spokesperson on Drug Issues.

She says "This document shows that the Police's definition of Intervention is Drug Education at school, and the Youth Aid Officer for at-risk kids up to the age of about 17. After that, there is no Intervention until they commit other crimes."

Ms Davey has long campaigned for Drug Education to continue at community level by way of hard-hitting anti-drug ads, the same as we have on our TV's for legal substances such as tobacco and alcohol.

Yesterday her campaign was validated by the Onset and Lifetime Use of Drugs in New Zealand study, led by the University of Otago , which showed that people who try or use drugs, do so for the first time between the ages of 16 and 30.

“This proves”, she says, “that all the Drug Education at school is soon forgotten when offered “P” or Marijuana to take away your problems, or just to make you feel great.”

The researchers went on to say “Strategies to combat drug use and abuse should start in adolescence, not only through schools, but also through interventions at local and national levels”

Ms Davey reiterates: “Education alone will not stop people from trying illicit drugs. It is already against the law to just use Marijuana and P; the Government must start spending some money at the top of the cliff by opening more Treatment Centres, and the Police must do their bit by helping the community get these people into mandatory Treatment before they start committing other crimes.

This is the only way NZ is going to get on top of the P issue, and save the billions currently having to be spent on the ambulances at the bottom of the cliff."

Regards,

Christine Davey
Sensible Sentencing Spokesperson on Drug Issues,
mobile 027 6376166
Christine Davey has first hand experience of P use in her family, and also supports many other NZ parents in her role as Administrator on the Fight Against P website www.fightagainstp.com

Through the Sensible Sentencing Trust Christine is campaigning for intervention in drug use at family request and removal of children from the care of known drug-users.