P-PLAGUE TAKES TOLL ON HIGH ACHIEVERS

The number of middle-class professionals seeking help for methamphetamine
addiction from drug treatment providers is growing.

Auckland clinics and residential programmes such as the Hanmer Clinic,
Higher Ground and the Salvation Army Bridge Centre are seeing more
mid-to-high-level executives and university students among admissions.

"A high percentage of them have a good education, and a lot of them have
been involved in work or attending university or some other study," said
Stuart Anderson, of Higher Ground in Auckland.

He said most were "high-functioning individuals" and their drug use had
crippled their potential.

A United Nations report on amphetamine and Ecstasy use around the world
says lifestyle demands, such as pressure to perform at work, drive people
to use amphetamine-type stimulants.

The chemical stimulants offer young people an artificial pick-me-up, the
chance to energise themselves, have fun, or escape reality, says the report.

And it warns that catchy brand-names such as lightning, flying saucer,
disco biscuits, fantasy, hug drug and yaba are dangerously deceptive.

"They may create momentary masters of the universe - but over time their
harmful effects prevail."

Mr Anderson said people may have used the drugs to increase their ability
to work or study, and that gave a sense of reward.

But the negative consequences included psychotic episodes and the risk of
self-harm or harming others.

"The negative consequences outweigh the positive."

Treatment providers told the Herald they were still treating more people
for alcohol and cannabis addiction, but the number of clients battling
amphetamines was increasing quickly.

The number of people using P is not known, but the 2001 National Drug
Survey found 5 per cent of New Zealanders aged between 15 and 45 had used
an illegal stimulant such as methamphetamine in the previous year.

That figure is expected to be significantly higher when new figures are
issued this year.

The Salvation Army Bridge Centre says up to 50 per cent of clients identify
P as their primary drug addiction, and Higher Ground said about 35 per cent
- - or 42 - clients in 2002-2003 said P was their primary drug addiction.

Some of these people would have other addictions, such as cannabis, alcohol
and gambling.

The Hanmer Clinic receives five or six calls a day about its intensive
out-patient programme from people worried about the drug.

Tom Drummond said his clinic mostly dealt with high earners.

Some spent between $1000 and $3000 a week on their addiction.

"My clients tell me it's an epidemic, and these people are generally in
fairly senior positions in their professions."

All treatment centres the Herald spoke to said P users could be difficult
to treat because the highly addictive drug made them volatile and anxious,
and some were unable to stick with their decision to quit.

Survey suggests 55pc know of drug users

More than half the respondents to an internet survey about youth and drugs
say they know someone who has used methamphetamine.

The "snapshot", by youth marketing consultancy '18', found 55 per cent of
respondents had friends who had taken P, or pure methamphetamine, and 27.5
per cent said they did not know if friends had taken it.

More males (62.8 per cent) than females (45.9 per cent) said they knew
someone who had used the drug. The company said the uncontrolled survey's
results were not scientific, but reflected participants' opinions.

Of the 80 respondents, 56 per cent said they had taken illegal drugs - 18
per cent while at school.

Forty per cent had never tried marijuana; 25 per cent used it "regularly".

Most reports of school-age drug use came from 24 to 30-year-olds (26.1 per
cent) compared with 11.1 per cent of 15 to 17-year-olds. School drug
testing rated a 40 per cent "yes"; 37 per cent said it was an invasion of
rights or they would not agree to it.

* Has the drug P had an impact on your life or your community? Email the
Herald News Desk to share your story.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feedback/email.cfm?user=newsdesk

The Ecstasy and Amphetamines Global Survey 2003 United Nations Office on
Drugs and Crime
http://www.unodc.org/pdf/publications/report_ats_2003-09-23_1.pdf

Herald Feature: The P epidemic
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storyarchive.cfm?reportID=1162612