P MARCH ORGANISER WORRIED AT LEVEL OF IGNORANCE

Methamphetamine march organiser Marie Cotter believes more than ever,
after the first day of her march to Parliament, the country needs to
be told of the dangers of P.

She led 100 marchers out of Auckland yesterday in a hikoi to
Parliament where she said they would appeal to the compassion of MPs
to help stop the P scourge and the damage the drug was doing to young
New Zealanders. However, she said after comments from the side of the
road as they passed, she was more determined than ever the hikoi would
succeed.

Some people had no idea of the damage and destruction of lives and
families that P had caused.

"I found that out by going through the town," she said from
Hamilton.

"We are giving out pamphlets and they are yelling out 'what is P? what
is P?'," she said.

"Nobody should be doing that. If there is information out there,
everyone should know about this drug. Everyone should know what this
drug can do. Everyone should know how our children are at risk."

She said it was scary how many people knew very little about the
drug.

Many people whose children were using P were unaware of the
devastating harm it could do. Many users were also unaware of the
potential before they began using it, she said.

She said she wanted the politicians to start an education programme
for children from as young as seven and a hotline for users or those
who needed facts about the drugs.

"I am looking for compassion from our MPs."

The march was expected to arrive in Wellington at about midday on
Thursday.