Editorial: Kids near P-labs is a risk to them

A line of Armed Offenders Squad members armed and with protective clothing about to go into a suspected P-Lab in Taradale. Photo / Kerry Marshall

The photograph on the front page of our paper yesterday was very dramatic.

Shot by freelancer Kerry Marshall, the photo showed a line of Armed Offenders Squad members armed and with protective clothing about to go into a suspected P-Lab in Taradale.

Whether or not it was a P-Lab is something the police will determine, but the fact that children were in the house is concerning. Dealing or producing drugs is illegal in this country and anyone convicted of doing so should be punished to the full extent of the law.

However, if children have been exposed to drugs in any way this escalates to a whole new level. It may be simplistic, but I believe that a home should be a safe haven for children. It should be somewhere they feel safe and are nurtured. It does not need to be flash, but it needs to be warm and loving.

Living in a suspected P-Lab is not the ideal, or even close to ideal, upbringing for children.

Four children were taken from the house to hospital for assessment, with six adults.

A 4-month-old girl spent a night in hospital and was discharged yesterday.

It is simply unacceptable that children are ever exposed to this sort of thing and the more we do as a community to protect our children from this the better. Neighbours, friends and family should be alert to the signs and should act immediately.

Children living in houses like that are exposed to so many risks. It is almost getting to the stage these days that you don't know if the house you move into has housed a P-Lab. If it can potentially happen in Taradale, it can happen anywhere.

The police have done well to act on information received, but they can only do so if they receive the information.

If you have information to give, make sure you do the right thing.