IT'S A MATTER OF WHEN IT'S GOING TO HIT SCHOOL

Secondary schools in the Bay of Plenty are launching a pre-emptive strike
against pure methampetamine, fearing it will be only a matter of time before
the evil drug infects students.

Te Puke High has taken the unusual step of next week holding a community
meeting using a top drug educator to help highlight the dangers of
methamphetamine for parents, students and teachers.

Other colleges are also worried that the drug - known as "P'' or pure - will
soon spread into the classroom.

They are set to follow suit with similar educational sessions next term and
next year.

Pure methamphetamine was a major concern at the most recent Waikato/Bay of
Plenty principals' conference in Taupo late last month, where they were shown
what the drug looks like.

Use of "P'' has escalated into a plague. Users quickly become viciously hooked
and many end up ruining their lives by losing their jobs, relationships and
money.

The drug is also driving serious crime. It has been linked with murders,
violence, domestic violence and burglaries.

There has also been an explosion of secret speed labs in the Western Bay, with
five being uncovered by police this year. There were none found until July
2002.

At Te Puke High, principal Barry Foster says he is not so naive as to think
that methamphetamine is not in the community in close reach.

"Alcohol and marijuana have become an accepted problem at school but we don't
want that to happen with methamphetamine,'' he told the Bay of Plenty Times.

Otumoetai College principal Dave Randell - also co-chairman of the Bay of
Plenty Principals Association - agreed.

"We can't put out heads in the sand because it's out there.

"It's a matter of when it's going to hit and which school,'' he said.

He stressed that with the prevalence of "P'' throughout the country and the
violence it was linked to, it was important for schools to address the problem
now.

"Schools are often indicative of that happens in society,'' Mr Randell said.

Aquinas College principal Brendan Schollum applauded the move by Te Puke High
School.

The former board member of the Foundation of Drug and Alcohol Education said
his school had not had any problems with "P'' so far but that may only be
because the school's most senior students are in year 10, or fourth form.

The school is not intending to organise its own information evening this year
but Mr Schollum said that next year "P'' would be a topic of social education
classes. "It might be appropriate at a particular class level and to have a
support session for parents, or for staff,'' Mr Schollum said.

Foundation for Drug and Alcohol Education chief executive Colin Bramfitt, who
attended last month's principals' meeting, will also be at the Te Puke meeting
to enlighten people about "P''.

He will cover what the drug is, how it is used, the effects on the body and
brain, tolerance of it, dependence on it and the signs of a user.

Mr Bramfitt believes the key to keeping the community safe from "P'' is to make
sure they are informed about it.

Te Puke-based Detective Alan Kingsbury agreed and said the meeting would not
only be useful for parents and teachers but also for teenagers themselves.

"If they are armed with that knowledge of how dangerous it is, hopefully they
won't go there,'' he said.

He believes the explosion of secret labs has meant teenagers are increasingly
being exposed to the drug locally but said "P'' transcended all age and society
boundaries.

"They have 'P' being cooked or consumed around them and they think it's normal,
so it has become a major concern,'' he said.

Tauranga police caught up with the biggest alleged methamphetamine manufacturer
in the area in August when they executed a search warrant at Oropi.

Police allege they found the most cooking equipment they had seen and a bulk
store of ingredients. A 40-year-old man was arrested for manufacturing a Class
B drug, manufacturing a Class A drug under the tougher new classification
introduced in May, and unlawful possession of a pistol, rifle and ammunition.

That was the first discovery of a methamphetamine lab in the Western Bay since
two separate labs were found at Mount Maunganui and Bethlehem during four days
in May.

Tauranga-based Detective Brian Sickler confirmed there had been a dramatic
upsurge in the number of labs and that the drug squad was having a hard job
keeping up with the workload.

Across the Bay of Plenty police district, there have been 11 labs found.
District crimes manager Detective Inspector Karl Wright-St Clair said
methamphetamine was not a problem the police could solve on their own.

"We support any initiative that will educate youth on the dangers involved in
relation to anything to do with methamphetamine. 'P' is a very dangerous,
highly addictive drug,'' he says. The "Prevention: Help Keep Our Community
Safe'' meeting is being held at the Te Puke High School hall on October 8 at
7pm.

If you have a personal story to tell about the drug "P'' contact us at
news@bopp.co.nz or call the chief reporter on (07) 577-3154.