Obtaining methamphetamine may be getting easier despite a Government crack down on the drug, a report says.How do we get out of this hole? I know! We'll dig our way out!
The first in a new six-monthly series of government reports issued yesterday on progress against the drug methamphetamine came as the Government announced that $5.9 million would be spent improving Customs security to control the importation of illicit drugs.
"If you look at price, availability and purity – the three main indicators of successful strategy – none of that has shifted an iota," Mike Sabin, group director of policy consultant MethCon, said.
The report says the availability of methamphetamine, also known as P, "may have become slightly easier" in the middle of last year compared to the year before.
The Government is giving Customs a $5.9 million boost in next week's budget to help with the war against the illicit drug trade.Guys, you've got to dig up, remember?
Customs Minister Maurice Williamson said the funding would allow Customs to move into the digital age with more advanced tools to detect the activities of drug criminals.
"Tools of this kind are vital if we are to more effectively clamp down on criminal gangs and the `P' (methamphetamine) trade," Mr Williamson said.
Mr Williamson said the budget would also provide additional operating funding of $1.2m, rising to $1.7m a year over the next four years to fight the illicit drugs trade.
Update: too funny. No Right Turn picked exactly the same post title as I did for this one.
Sadly even in a country like NZ where approximately 50% of people have tried cannabis, and an estimated 10% currently indulge, any moves to loosen the laws on cannabis are seen as political suicide. So using easier access to this substance as a way to reduce demand for P seems unlikely to happen. Its another one of those "social costs" things I suppose, plus a fair bit of spin doctoring and misinformation by the prohibitionists.
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