A new arsenal of weapons have been launched in the fight against the scourge of methamphetamine in Northland, including seven police officers dedicated to reducing methamphetamine harm and supply.
From today a range of new referral and treatment options for methamphetamine users and their whanau will be available across Northland and a team of seven police officers focused on reducing methamphetamine harm and supply will hit the beat.
Northland DHB and NZ Police have been funded to the tune of $3 million to deliver the Te Ara Oranga Methamphetamine Demand Reduction strategy pilot. The funding was made available under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act, so it's money recovered from criminals.
The joint venture is trialling an integrated model of police and health activity designed to reduce methamphetamine demand by enhancing treatment services and increasing responsiveness. It is being launched in Event Cinemas Whangarei, at 10.30am today when a video made for the campaign will be screened.
Police in Northland are dealing with methamphetamine related problems during most shifts. It is associated with crimes such as theft, fraud, poor driving, violence and episodes of family harm.
Methamphetamine is impacting at all levels, and increasingly Police are seeing the impact it is having on our children and young people.
"What we are seeing is methamphetamine suppliers and high demand users are trapped by the addictive nature of the drug, pressured by the gangs and have poly substance abuse," Inspector Dean Robinson said.
"They turn to illegal means to finance their addictions and its impacting their partners, children, and wider whanau. We will be working with these people and referring [them] to treatment where at all possible."
Methamphetamine admissions to Timatanga Hou, Northland DHB's detox unit, are now second only to alcohol, and methamphetamine has become the second or third most common reason for referral to DHB Drug and Alcohol services in Tai Tokerau.
"Those of us working in the Drug and Alcohol treatment sector have been experiencing the impact of methamphetamine increasingly over the past few years," Jenny Freedman, NDHB Clinical Psychologist said.
"We are very excited about the opportunity to provide a timelier and comprehensive range of evidence based treatments for people who use methamphetamine and also support their whanau who are affected by their drug use."
The police team is part of the Northland Police District Prevention Group and comprises investigators and constables who will be working to prevent and reduce the supply and harm created by drugs, specifically methamphetamine in Northland communities.
They will be focused on high end suppliers and users which will involve referring users to the DHB to receive access to treatment.
There are four streams within the health component - screening, brief intervention and referrer to treatment, treatment whanau/community resources and evaluation.