Grandmother's anti-P march set to go

After many sleepless nights for an Auckland grandmother the preparations are complete for a march to Parliament to ask leaders for help in the fight against the drug "P".

Marie Cotter, 57, of Pukekohe, has spent three months organising the journey leaving Victoria Park, Auckland, next Monday at 11am and ending on Parliament's steps three days later.
"It's going to be a lot bigger than we expected - but it's not the number of people on the march, it's getting something done at the end of it," she said.

Ms Cotter could not predict how many people would march but said contingents from Ngapuhi and Ngati Porou were definitely joining.

Ms Cotter became involved in campaigning against P, otherwise known as methamphetamine, in December while working as a budgeter for a social services organisation in Pukekohe.

"A woman came to me, crying her eyes out because she'd been knocking on all the services' doors asking for help for her family members who were suffering from the effects of P ... and she couldn't get help."

A lack of available information and help prompted Ms Cotter to set up a website in her spare time to help raise awareness and provide information about the drug.

"I know it'll be worth all the hours - I didn't realise how much this particular drug is devastating families in this country ."

The group plans to walk through smaller towns and take transport between major cities.

They will sleep at marae in Hamilton, Rotorua and Otaki before arriving in Wellington to lay wreaths on the steps of Parliament in memory of the lives lost to the drug.

Primary schoolchildren will present MPs - who Ms Cotter hopes will be there to greet them - with the list of changes they would like to see in the Government's drug policy. She said many of the children come from "P homes" , and will be joined by their grandmothers on the march.

"Education is the top of the list - we don't want the future full of children with convictions or drugged up to their eyeballs.

"You have to educate the public, the teachers, the parents - all the people that the children trust."

The wish list included a drug and alcohol programme for schoolchildren, more rehabilitation centres, an anonymous call centre and more police resources.

- NZPA