HIGH DOSE OF METH USE MORE PREVALENT

Methamphetamine users are increasingly turning to harder forms of the drug
and investigating more potent methods of consuming it, a Massey University
study has revealed.

Research to be made public today confirms that snorting lesser forms of the
drug is out, and smoking the highly potent derivative P is in.

The study, carried out by Massey's Centre for Social and Health Outcomes
Research and Evaluation, investigated the changing trends in
methamphetamine use over the past six months.

It found intravenous methamphetamine use was also on the rise. "Shooting
up" the drug dramatically increased the risks of users contracting other
illnesses, and spreading them to partners, family members or the community,
research head Chris Wilkins said.

He believed preventing the spread of intravenous drug use among
methamphetamine users should be "an important priority".

Methamphetamine, particularly P, is also finding a more diverse market,
with the drug moving beyond its dance-party origins, the research says.

Regular users now come from virtually every walk of life, from professional
and business classes to lower socio-economic groups.

The traditional cannabis "tinny house" was diversifying, and moving into
selling P, the research found.

"Drug dealers are developing marketing strategies to appeal to less wealthy
groups, such as selling the drug in smaller weights for $20 to $50 from
tinny houses," Dr Wilkins said.

The research findings come as no surprise to Detective Senior Sergeant
Craig Sheridan of Palmerston North CIB.

"I know from search warrants that have been executed in recent months it is
not uncommon to come across instruments being used to smoke P. That tells
us that more people are obviously smoking it than using other methods."

That tinny houses were selling the drug was no revelation either - now that
cannabis use appeared to be declining.

One example of P's spread was the number of domestic violence cases being
referred to CIB because of the seriousness of the assaults. These cases
were often the result of methamphetamine use, he said.