Kiwi parents told to leave their drugs at home. Have schools not heard of pre-loading?

Next Saturday Westmere and Bayfield primary schools (both decile 10s) are holding their Spring Ball, and organisers have given parents a stern warning to leave their drugs and booze at home.

According to the NZHerald

Parents attending next Saturday’s Westmere and Bayfield School Spring Ball have been issued a code of conduct warning that any anti-social and illegal activity – including drug-taking – will get them kicked out.

And security staff will be posted at the Motat venue to eject ballgoers who fall foul of the rules. Parents told the Herald on Sunday that the warnings come after a rowdy debut parents’ ball two years ago…”

The events organisers deny the restrictions are because of the previous ball, they say its a requirement of management plan’s code of practice. However, Auckland Council licensing manager, Rob Abbott says applicants don’t need a code of conduct, just an alcohol management plan. The organisers obviously think they do.

Auckland Primary Principals’ Association president Frances Nelson said prohibiting drug use appeared to be an unusual condition for a school event.

“I am not aware of this kind of approach. I guess the PTA/Board of Trustees feel it’s necessary,” she said.

Good on them we say, parents should be encouraged to set an example to their children and New Zealand has one of the highest rates of substance abuse in the world for a good reason. Maybe this is what is behind many of the country’s high road toll, and its social and mental health issues? Kudos to the event organisers for making a stand. Maybe their next event should be drugs and alcohol counseling?

If you’re moving to New Zealand please do some research about the country’s drug and alcohol problems. You may be shocked to learn that New Zealand has the third highest per capita rate of  methampetamine (P) use in the world. Kiwis, ever resourceful, are able to turn their hands to most forms of DIY, and they like to cook their own.

You may think this won’t impact on you, but if you buy a home be sure to get it tested for P contamination as a condition of your purchase, the chemicals used in its production are extremely toxic The locals are in-the-know but migrants aren’t. Don’t get ripped off.

You may also be interested in

How to tell if a P lab is operating in your neighbourhood (Jan 2011)

Over the last few days we’ve blogged about advice to New Zealand  home buyers to get forensic tests for Methamphetamine carried out on their prospective properties as part of the pre-purchase routine.

Methamphetamine  (P) manufacture and use is widespread throughout New Zealand. The chemicals used to ‘cook’ the expensive, highly addictive and dangerous drug (and the drug itself) can be absorbed into the fabric of a building, where they remain in dangerous quantities and have serious effects on the health of the people living there.

A former Hamilton detective once accused the Government of a “head in the sand mentality” when it comes to New Zealand’s growing drug culture.  The country now rates as having the third highest number of P users per capita in the world.

Today we’re writing about how to tell if a clandestine P house is operating in your neighbourhood.

Meth labs don’t just present a hazard because of the nature of the drug that is being manufactured but there is also the risk of property damage due to explosion and fire. Waste products may be dumped in the surrounding area where your kids play, or diffuse into your property. Drug dealing goes on around P houses and the streets are busy night and day with people calling at the house and there are increased levels of crime.

Drug dealers are often armed and may keep guns, ammunition, stolen property and other drugs in the premises. (ref Daniel Vae and New Zealand’s war on drugs)

There may also be children living in extreme danger at the property as around a third of homes where methamphetamine is being manufactured have children living in them. Figures show that 35-70% of children in those environments test positive to methamphetamine itself, while 90% test positive to toxic levels of chemicals. (source)

Children may be being used as couriers by their parents and children as young as six have been found passing drugs at school. (Ref. Drugs battle fought on school playgrounds and six year old kids take dope to school)

Labs can be set up anywhere from  a rural apartment;  to a house in a family neighbourhood or in the back of a car and can be very hard to discover.

A pound (450g) of crystal meth can produce about 6 pounds (3kg) of waste. Manufacturers often pour waste chemicals and other unwanted byproducts down drains, toilets, streams, or directly onto the ground.  So widespread is the manufacture of this drug in New Zealand that some of the chemicals and equipment used in its manufacture used to be sold in corner shops and dairies… read on