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.
Co-ordinator: Jocelyn Pomana, alcohol and drug service co-ordinator for Rangitane o Tamaki nui a Rua, at the public meeting.
"Be realistic, P is here and we don't have an alcohol and drugprogramme so there is a real, strong need, with more needing to be done in our community."
This was a chance to voice concerns and share a way forward, Pomana said.
Addiction was everyone's business, she said.
Senior sergeant Jymahl Glassey of Tararua police, left, with Sergeant Gary McKernon speaking at the public meeting called to find a way forward from our methamphetamine epidemic
"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.
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.
