'POPULAR' DRUG WORRIES POLICE

Police are worried that methamphetamine, or speed, is becoming the illicit
drug of choice in New Zealand.

The drug affects the central nervous system, giving the user a sense of
euphoria and increased physical stamina. It also suppresses the appetite.

The downside is memory loss, aggression, violence, psychotic behaviour and
potential neurological and cardiac damage.

Police Association president Greg O'Connor said yesterday that feedback from
frontline officers was that the production and use of speed had risen
rapidly, which had caught them off guard.

Its growth was similar to the surge in heroin use in the 1970s.

"We've got members at street level who are very concerned, first at the
amount of it that is out there, but particularly because it is putting the
gangs who are producing it and selling it in a very powerful financial
position," Mr O'Connor said.

The drug was particularly dangerous because users became addicted quickly,
and while the high was enjoyable the low was very bad.

"It's a good high but it's a very low low, and it's that low that is going
to cause problems as it becomes more prevalent."

Mr O'Connor said the drug, previously almost entirely imported, was becoming
cheaper as more of it was made locally.

It was relatively easy to make, and many gangs trained their bakers.

"We are very concerned that, particularly in relation to the gangs, we are
losing the battle, and that is a real frustration."

The gangs were making so much money that their technology and organisation
was leaving the police behind, "simply because they have got the cash to
throw at their problem and we don't"

Because of the addictive nature of speed, even criminals were become
concerned about it. It had crept up gangs, which had traditionally stayed
away from white-powder drugs.

"Now it has become so cheap a lot of their own people are using, and the
more they use it the more they have to sell to finance their habits."

Mr O'Connor said police were worried that present laws were ineffective.

"We tend to talk about drugs like heroin and cocaine and people understand
those, but this is something new that has hit everybody."

A Ministry of Health spokesman said the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill, now
before Parliament, would strengthen the police position.