Three-year-old loses teeth because of mother's P addiction

4.00pm

Northland grandmother Dot Field doesn't need to be told about the dangers of P -- her three-year-old grandson has just had all his teeth pulled out because of the drug.

The Kaikohe Community Board member's story was one of several horror and hope stories shared at a Far North meeting in Kaikohe at the weekend.

The meeting focused on the pure form of methamphetamine, or P, which is devastating Northland families and worrying Government agencies.

Support agencies have since emerged and are growing, but Mrs Field told the meeting she had been unable to find help when faced with dealing with the P addictions of her son, now aged 24, and his partner.

Her family life was in disarray as she struggled to support her son and also to look after his child, her grandson.

Mr Field said that slowly but surely the couple had got their life back together, and their child had been the key to their recovery.

However, the little boy had just had his teeth removed due to damage suffered as a result of his mother's P abuse while pregnant. Mrs Field said her son, a university-trained graphic designer, was now off the drug and in work but with the high relapse rate with P, she maintained close contact with him and his family.

Watching for early warning signs of P use was vital.

Northland MP John Carter, who called the meeting, said politicians did not understand the extent of the P problem.

It was imperative to get them to hear the stories such as those of two young women who spoke at the meeting -- a 17-year-old now drug-free for a year and a 15-year-old, off P for the past two months -- who rapidly became addicted.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)