Anti-P campaigner Marie Cotter. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Marie Cotter is buzzing with rage. This time last year she was consumed with the ravages of P and its impact on individuals, families and society. The addiction remains.
Working as a budget adviser in Pukekohe, the 57-year-old became aware of methamphetamine's insidious effects and its links to
burglary, workplace fraud, domestic violence, aggravated robbery - and worse.
"A lady came in who had been to all the social services in Pukekohe and no one could help her," says Cotter, who lives in Papatoetoe. "I went on the internet and all this information came up. I just couldn't believe what this drug could do."
The married mother of three and grandmother of four quit work and organised a march on Parliament to seek Government help. As the five-day march, supported by Maori health groups, wound through towns, people came forward with tales of devastation.
The number of marchers peaked at 150 and she received hundreds of emails from users and affected relatives.
The high of the February rally was replaced by a realisation that the road to recovery is lined with institutional indifference and that politicians' promises are as reliable as an addict's vow of cleanliness. "At the moment I'm getting no help from the Government after they stood up saying they were going to do this and that ... They said they would be there to help when we wanted something."
Not that she is deterred. Since the march Cotter has been trying to set up Methwatch, a group that would bring a multi-agency approach.
She believes communities have to "take ownership" of the issue and says mayors, MPs and the police have key roles to play.
Cotter says her efforts to launch Methwatch in Franklin met with Government rejection, so she is concentrating on education, giving talks in schools and working with recovering addicts.
She has taken a job in a furniture store to finance a "hard-hitting" video on the consequences of P.
The website launched for the march, fightagainstp.com, is now run by her brother, Alex Walker.
"I've wanted to give up a few times because it was so stressful and my health suffered," Cotter says. "But I promised people I would do my utmost to help them."
"Money is going out to all these services but [the solution] can't come from Wellington, it has to come from communities."
