A packed Dannevirke Town Hall reflected the concerns in the district regarding the methamphetamine epidemic.
"We need to implement a collective strategy," Jocelyn Pomana, alcohol and drug service co-ordinator for Rangitane o Tamaki nui a Rua, said.
"Be realistic, P is here and we don't have an alcohol and drug programme so there is a real, strong need, with more needing to be done in our community."
Read more: Former meth addicts: Get it off our streets
This was a chance to voice concerns and share a way forward, Pomana said.
Addiction was everyone's business, she said.
"Addiction is a family disease because while one person may use, the whole family suffers."
And while there was a whole-hearted wish from those present to make Dannevirke the first anti-P town in the world, James Kendrick introduced a dose of reality.
The volunteer firefighter and ambulance officer reminded everyone the same questions had been asked at a public meeting at Dannevirke South School 12 years ago and the only thing to have changed was that the problem had become bigger.
"It's been hui, hui, hui, but no doey, doey, doey," he said.
"This epidemic has been created by people, so people have got to do something about it and it's up to each and every one of us to rid our town of P."
Mr Kendrick explained how he had attended P-overdose cases.
"It's not nice and I see it time after time," he said.
"Let's get off our backsides and meet the challenge. I don't want to come back in 12 months' time with nothing done."
Another speaker, Aroha, said the time had gone for mucking around.
"The reality is we've got to get these drug dealers out of our town, they are corrupting young teens and young mothers," she said.
"We've got to balls up. We know who are dealing, so let's deal with them."
Former ambulance officer Monique Ashford said she had scraped P addicts off the ground and had two die in the back of her ambulance.
"If you know someone who is dealing, stand up and nark.
"If no one stands up they won't be run out of town. Police need information before they can get the evidence."
Senior sergeant Jymahl Glassey, of Tararua police, said it was a complex and far-reaching issue.
"A lot of people see P as a police problem and it is an issue police have to deal with.
"But it's a community problem and we need to start targeting demand, then there will be no need for the supplier. We can all make a difference."
Former Dannevirke police officer Ross Macdonald said police had run suppliers out of town before and he believed it could be done again.
However, Mr Glassey said there were always people to fill the void when there was demand.
"It's a huge money-maker for them [the dealers]," he said.
Sergeant Gary McKernon said P caused family violence, which his officers dealt with day after day.
"I'm part of this community and I don't want my daughter growing up in a community of P.
"The solution for the community is the community."
A Dannevirke grandmother said she felt as if she was living in isolation, confused and lost, because like others of her generation, she found the P epidemic hard to comprehend.
"Having to forbid your own grandchildren from your home, is terrible.
"But now I know it's not just me. I want to see effective change for us to pull together somehow."
Georgina moved to Dannevirke 10 years ago from what she called P City - Porirua.
"P is now destroying this town. I'm not a nark, but I don't want my little girl on P.
"We know where the P houses are but we can't bring strong evidence to the police because I don't want a mark on my head.
"We've got kids from P homes sitting next to our kids.
"We can't run from this. It's Satan's designer drug and you can't deal with them when they are coming off their high.
"I've suffered the post-traumatic effect after being attacked and my car was attacked simply because it's red.
"Half my Porirua mates are dead and P is out of control in New Zealand."
Tararua District councillor Ernie Christison said there were more drug houses in Dannevirke than dairies.