MP takes anti-P message to people of the Far North

Northland MP John Carter is preparing to tackle the region's growing methamphetamine scourge by taking the problem directly to Far North communities.

He has called a public conference in Kaikohe on May 1 to try to raise community awareness about the drug, commonly known as P.

The MP hopes one important outcome of the meeting will be a community "buy-in" to own and help eliminate the P problem through support available from police, health and other government agencies.

"The police can't deal with this on their own. It's beyond their ability to solve the problem so it's the community that has to be at the forefront," Mr Carter said.

He believes communities must take total ownership of the P problem for it to be ultimately eradicated.

The conference, to be held in the Kaikohe War Memorial Hall on Saturday week, will hear from "experienced" speakers, several of whom include P users and former users.

Police and regional health provider representatives will be present to offer information and advice.

People attending will be told of signs to look for which could indicate an operational methamphetamine manufacturing lab.

At least four labs have been discovered in the Far North in recent months, two of them in the Kerikeri and Kaikohe areas, after chemical-related explosions left the lab operator injured.

Two others, including equipment and chemicals for a mobile lab found in the back of a speeding car, were uncovered by police in the Kaitaia area.