editorial comment and prohibition works????

Massey’s SHORE researchers have uncovered important new information on the social and economic impact of Amphetamine Type Stimulants in New Zealand.

The research commissioned by Police, indicates the illicit trade in ATS drugs may have effectively doubled the dollar value of New Zealand’s total illegal drug trade in less than ten years.

The study on the socio-economic impact of ATS was done by Dr Chris Wilkins and other researchers at Massey University’s Centre for Social and Health Outcomes Research Evaluation in collaboration with the Office of the Police Commissioner.

From new research Dr Wilkins calculates the illicit market for amphetamine, methamphetamine and MDMA/Ecstasy in New Zealand to be worth approximately $168 million dollars a year – the same value attributed to the cannabis market. In the light of that figure, authorities are currently seizing about 10% of drug stocks. They also report that the proceeds from the sale of ATS drugs are likely to be particularly concentrated among a relatively small number of local organized criminal gangs who were instrumental in the introduction of methamphetamine manufacture to New Zealand.

The research throws new light on the impact of ATS in New Zealand says Assistant Police Commissioner: Crime Reduction and Public Safety, Peter Marshall. “In particular, the study yields important insights on the dynamics of illicit drug markets and the links between drugs and crime,” he said.

The research drew from a number of sources and included a survey of frequent methamphetamine users in Auckland, key informant surveys of drug enforcement officers and drug treatment workers, an analysis of drug treatment statistics and a pilot study of arrestees in the Papakura Police Station cellblocks.

The research method used by Dr Wilkins and his team broke new ground by getting samples from the community of ATS users rather than speaking to those already in treatment centres. They recruited the interviewees with flyers in café, bars, needle exchanges and public places and interviewed them in Auckland cafes.

This approach to research required a lengthy process to satisfy the concerns of the University’s ethics committee. Concerned for the safety of the interviewers, the ethics committee required them to have self defence training. Concern for the confidentiality of the participants was overcome by a process that makes their data anonymous.

“Ethics committees have to think of worst case scenarios,” says Dr Wilkins. “We never had a problem, but we put a lot of effort into developing the safety protocols.”

The committee required a letter from the Police Commissioner’s Office stating that officers would not follow the interviewers or use the meetings for any undercover operation.Interviewers worked in pairs and had a backup arrangement in place with police if an unsafe situation arose.

Their findings demonstrate clearly that Amphetamine Type Stimulants are now serious drugs of abuse in this country. About one in ten New Zealanders aged 18 to 29 - or about 100,000 people nationwide have used an ATS drug in the last year and about a third of this group are frequent users. The data suggested this group have a more middle class profile than other drug users – many are employed in well paid jobs and have high levels of education.

Many of the frequent users of methamphetamine reported pre-existing mental health problems and tendencies to self-harm. They said methamphetamine exacerbated these problems.

The pilot study of arrestees showed they were many times more likely to use these drugs than the general population. They said that these drug types were a factor in their criminal offending and made them more likely to get angry.

Frequent methamphetamine users were often involved in dealing and drug manufacture. A third had sold methamphetamine and about one in five had made it or exchanged it for stolen property.

The way users go about buying these drugs is different from the traditional cannabis buyers, who typically go to a known property to purchase. Modern personal communication tools have impacted on trading and about half of amphetamine buyers make their deal by mobile phone or by texting. Their market is more secretive and insulated than the cannabis market. Sellers surveyed in the research reported only selling to close friends and family members.

Key informants indicated high levels of involvement by organized criminal groups in importing, making and selling methamphetamine. Long established gangs and their role in this drug market, were commonly mentioned.

There was evidence that law enforcement is beginning to make an impact on ATS. Sixty percent of regular methamphetamine users indicated they had noticed an increase in law enforcement activity against methamphetamine offending in the last six months. About one third indicated more that the users they knew had been arrested in that time frame and ten percent reported it was more difficult to obtain methamphetamine compared to six months ago.

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