Get rid of P suppliers, says report to Health Ministry

Suppliers of pure methamphetamine, or P, need to be "taken out", a report on the drug commissioned by the Ministry of Health says.

The report, compiled by Napier anti-P campaigner Denis O'Reilly, gathered information on how to battle the drug from eight meetings held around the North Island over the past two months.

The report will be used by Associate Minister of Health Jim Anderton, who chairs the ministerial action group on alcohol and drugs.

Mr O'Reilly said opposition to the drug was widespread, with even "counter-culture" elements considering co-operating with the police to stamp out the drug's use.

"There is a feeling of fear and anger. There are suggestions of vigilante action," Mr O'Reilly said.

"Some of the most aggressive actions suggested against methamphetamine makers and distributors come from their peers in prison and on the street," he said.

Examples of comments included: "Take out the cooks", "Take out the supplier ourselves", "Whanau, gang members, community take out suppliers and manufacturers with the help of the police", "Blow the P manufacturers to little pieces", "Have a seminar on P in your Hood" .

Although the report aimed to study the Maori perspective of P, the findings applied to any community in which the drug was used, Mr O'Reilly said.

"Basically, we were looking at how the Maori community was going to counter the issue. It is not more of a Maori issue, but how they handle it will be different. We talked to gang leaders, patients, prisoners, methamphetamine users, mental health workers, community people."

The number of young people in Hawkes Bay reportedly using the drug was the most alarming issue facing the region, he said.

A Hastings community worker, Karen Nicol, said she had seen children as young as 11 selling the drug to feed their addiction.

"If they're using at school call the police, call out the fire brigade, call civil defence. There's something really bad going on there," Mr O'Reilly said.

"The stuff costs $1000 a gram, and no one's giving it to school kids for free are they?" he said.

At last week's meeting, he suggested the Government ban pseudoephedrine, an ingredient in over-the-counter flu remedies, also used to manufacture P.

- NZPA