Drugs and kids - a media storm

The story below ran in my regional metro daily after reporter Nigel Benson called to ask about a comment I’d made the previous day at a health board meeting in Dunedin … the city reporter suggested he follow up, and he did! Cannabis use by young rife By Nigel Benson Thursday, 29th September 2005 Alexandra Cannabis use by school-age children in Alexandra is exploding, Central Otago Mayor Malcolm Macpherson, says. ”We have significantly underestimated the level of drug use among our young people in Alexandra”, he said yesterday. “There has been a common view in Central Otago that this is a problem somewhere else. But that can catch up with you. It’s a much bigger problem than most people realise.” Police in Alexandra said yesterday teenage alcohol use was a bigger problem. But Dr Macpherson, who is Otago Forward chairman and an Otago District Health Board member, said he recently held meetings with local parents and Dunstan High School principal David Smyth, who were concerned at drug use by children. Mr Smyth is in England and could not be reached for comment yesterday. A trust is to be set up involving parents, youth workers and schools to examine the issue. A refuge for young people struggling with drugs might also be established”, Dr Macpherson said. ”We need some sort of refuge where kids can just drop out and get themselves back into some sort of shape.” Life Education Trust mentor Trevor Grice had been approached to hold a drug education programme for parents in Alexandra. The issue needed oxygen to find a solution, Dr Macpherson said. “My view is that there is quite a bit of denial, not just in Central Otago but around the country. It hasn’t been an issue here till recently, but it’s increasingly becoming an issue, particularly among young kids.” Dr Macpherson said year 9 and 10 pupils and even primary school children were known to be using cannabis and herbal party pills regularly. While party pills were legal, they contributed to the problem by normalising drugs, he said. The barrier to entry into drugs nowadays is almost invisible. A 13-year-old Alexandra schoolboy spoken to by the Otago Daily Times yesterday said cannabis and herbal party pill use by youths was common in the town. Another 14-year old said cannabis tinnies were readily available and dealt among school friends for $20-$25. Heaps of my mates are into it. It’s just fun getting out-of-it. Both agreed cannabis use was increasing among their peers. Dr Macpherson said he had been dealing with several Alexandra families destroyed by children using cannabis. “This is certainly a big enough problem that we need to do something about it and, in some ways, it’s even more difficult to deal with than alcohol because it’s not so visible.” Alexandra Combined Churches youth worker Roger Williams said he had noticed a “marked increase” in drug-associated problems with local youths. “It’s having an impact on young people and the families of young people,” he said yesterday. “There has always been drugs about, but it’s affecting the kids younger. They’re experimenting at 13 or 14 now, rather than 17 or 18.” “I think it’s really the cultural thing we have to address. Alcohol was a cultural thing for me growing up in middle New Zealand. We have to change that and show our young people that you don’t have to go out and drink to excess or smoke pot to escape things.” Senior Sergeant Mike Cook, of Alexandra, said alcohol was the main problem drug with local youths and cannabis and herbal party pill use by local teenagers created few issues for police. “We don’t catch a lot of people that age with cannabis and we’re not seeing it [many cannabis prosecutions] through the youth or district courts. “It’s certainly not as widespread as most other communities I’ve worked in around New Zealand.” Shearers and fruit-pickers are also understood to be regular cannabis users. The next day, the after-story ran as follows: Alcohol main drug of young, police say Staff Reporters Alexandra Otago police and community workers say alcohol — not cannabis or other “soft” drugs — is public enemy No 1. Central Otago Mayor Malcolm Macpherson warned on Wednesday there had been an “explosion” of cannabis use recently among young Alexandra people. A trust is to be set up in Alexandra to deal with the perceived problem. A refuge for teenagers dealing with cannabis dependency issues may also be established. While other areas in Otago yesterday agreed cannabis had become more prevalent, all felt the most dangerous drug for young people was alcohol. However, Dr Macpherson made no apologies yesterday for raising the subject. “I’ve received a lot of calls on this today and it would be fair to say there is a view that it’s unwise to be airing this issue, especially so soon after Blossom Festival when Alexandra has just had all this positive publicity,” he said. “But, the problem is visible to me here and people in the know have confirmed my view. “We do have a [cannabis] problem and it’s a growing problem. It doesn’t serve anyone by pretending that it’s not there.” Dr Macpherson said he had spent most of yesterday morning fielding calls from radio stations and colleagues in Dunedin and Queenstown about the issue. “The thing we have to emphasise is this isn’t just an Alexandra problem. It’s not unique to us. In fact, we’re probably better off than most other places in New Zealand.” An independent trust would be established in Alexandra to examine the issue, Dr Macpherson said. A former deputy principal at The Terrace School in Alexandra, Leo Smith, yesterday said cannabis had long been a problem with young people in the town. “I was teaching a form two class there in 1991 and it was just out of control. Some of them were coming to school absolutely blotto.” Mr Smith said he had tried talking to parents and other teachers about the problem. “But, most of them didn’t want to know about it or admit that there might be a problem.” Seasonal workers in Alexandra for the shearing and orchard seasons are also believed to contribute to the green cloud over the town. However, Queenstown youth workers said the incidence of cannabis use among local youths was not high. Long-serving youth worker Merv Aoke said yesterday while there were obviously younger teenagers who would be “trying cannabis”, there was no indication of a major problem in the resort. “The ones we see coming through the court system are older, but obviously it’s about and there’s no doubt some younger teenagers would be trying it, but from what I’ve seen it doesn’t seem to be a major problem.” “That’s not to say it’s not there, but I wouldn’t describe it as a big problem.” Queenstown police could not be reached for comment. The main drug abused by both young and old in Wanaka was alcohol, according to police. “The alcohol issues here vastly outweigh the cannabis issues,” Detective Derek Shaw said yesterday. Alcohol abuse was “across the board” and was not limited to a certain age group. It led to disorderly behaviour, drink-driving and occasional family violence, all of which kept police busy and had “an impact” on their operations. Two weeks ago, seven people were arrested and charged with driving over the limit. A week later, five people were caught doing the same thing. “We are not naive enough to think that there isn’t the use of other recreational drugs, but they haven’t caused us the amount of work that alcohol has,” Det Shaw said. In North Otago, cannabis use among teenagers was not widespread, partly because of the proactive approach of secondary schools and police working together, according to police youth aid officer Senior Constable Ross Lory. “There is a certain element that do use it, but it seems very controlled at schools,” he said when contacted yesterday. Snr Const Lory said it did go in cycles, “flaring up” every once or two years, but it was “not rampant”. His experience was that use among younger people was no worse now than in previous years. The secondary schools and police worked together to discourage drug use, regularly visiting schools with drug sniffer dogs. Balclutha Mayor Juno Hayes said yesterday he was unaware of any major problems associated with young people experimenting with cannabis. “I know cannabis is used around here, but how far down the age group it goes, I don’t know,” he said. Senior Sergeant Lane Todd, of Balclutha, said police had encountered few problems with local youths using cannabis and herbal party drugs. “We’d certainly be putting our heads in the sand if we said there was no problem at all,” he said yesterday. “But alcohol would be our number one problem with young people around here.” Then, on the Saturday, the leader writers came up with this: Editorial Drugs and communities Oct 1, 2005 CENTRAL OTAGO’s mayor, Malcolm Macpherson, has shown refreshing honesty by bluntly highlighting the “exploding” problems of cannabis use by school-age children in Alexandra. Authority figures like mayors and school principals are usually so concerned with protecting the good name of their district or institutions that they shy away from confronting such issues openly. What happens then is that problems, whether they be glue-sniffing, aerosol abuse, binge drinking, violent or destructive behaviour or whatever, fester and grow. Dr Macpherson validly notes that denial occurs not just in Central Otago but around the country. In fact, cannabis use is likely to be far worse in many other places. That, however, is no excuse not to confront the matter head-on in Alexandra. While cannabis is perhaps not in the same dangerous league as methamphetamines and various “hard” drugs, its destructive effects should not be underestimated. The impact on growing minds in the teenage years is especially detrimental. There are always those who exculpate cannabis by pointing to the deadly and damaging effect of legal drugs like alcohol and those in tobacco smoke. In tobacco’s case, given its poisons, it would hardly be legal today if it was possible to start afresh. As it is, the use of the product is steadily being pushed towards the margins. It is true, too, that the damage caused by alcohol directly and indirectly remains pervasive and devastating. In many ways, its abuse is indeed public enemy No 1. Everyone should be aware, for example, of the lethal mix of young men, fast cars and drink. But one difference with alcohol, at least, is that it is a substance which is not usually harmful in moderation whereas smoking, whether of marijuana or tobacco, is. And those who believe in legalising small quantities of marijuana in the hands of adults need look no further than what happened when the drinking age was lowered to 18. Alcohol became more readily available, and it is now 15 and 16-year-olds who are abusing drink in much higher numbers. Legalised adult cannabis would make it more acceptable for more people and soon lead to even greater use among teenagers. Authorities, including schools, would then have even more difficulties tackling it. While youth workers, teachers and Dr Macpherson have voiced strong concerns, the police reaction was muted. Alcohol remains far and away the biggest headache for them because of the way it loosens inhibitions, impairs judgement, sparks aggression and bolsters feelings of being bullet proof. The violence associated with abuse of this drug is rampant and regular. Cannabis, however, is more likely to make its users less motivated and even passive rather than more belligerent. Cannabis is also still cheap enough so that repetitive and desperate crime in search of money to buy expensive hard drugs is far less common. Whether youngsters are drunk or stoned, it is disappointing that for many such a big part of New Zealand culture is to search for something to distort reality, to become “blotto”, to hide from life. How sad that life lacks the meaning, interest and support that makes drug abuse of any kind unnecessary and unwanted. Thus, the efforts to expose and deal with these issues across different fronts, including changing attitudes and strengthening families and communities, are to be applauded. And here's the follow-up on the letters page ... Publication:Otago Daily Times; Date:Oct 5, 2005; Section:OPINION; Page Number:14 Message on cannabis must be clear I READ with interest the article (ODT, 29.9.05) noting concerns over the growing use of cannabis by youth in Central Otago. I agree with Dr Malcolm Macpherson (a PhD in geology, I understand) regarding the trend to a normalisation of drug use. I think it’s important, however, to be clear about the messages youth are receiving regarding this complicated issue. While there is currently much concern about the use of party pills and the suggestion that these provide early entree into using illicit drugs, it is clear that the first drug experience for most youth involves alcohol. Indeed, directly below your cannabis article was another entitled “Pate, pithiviers and beer a winning combination”. If we are going to successfully educate youth about the genuine dangers of illicit drug use, we must be honest about why drugs might be seen as attractive, and the place they have always had in human societies. While Dr Macpherson acknowledges its consistent presence, the lower visibility of cannabis and the need for education, the article fails to reference the failure of current policy, which has created an illicit market promoting harmful use and youthful excitement, as well as erecting barriers to education and treatment. Geoff Noller Ravensbourne I WAS most concerned to read the remarks attributed to former Alexandra deputy principal Leo Smith in the report on Central Otago and cannabis use by young people (ODT, 30.9.05). I was the principal of the Terrace School from 1981-92 and Mr Smith was not on the staff in 1991 as claimed. During his time on the staff before this, he did not, on any occasion, express any concern to me about cannabis use among our pupils and no other teacher ever mentioned any such discussion to me. To suggest that “some children were coming to school absolutely blotto” is highly questionable when no other teachers or adults ever raised any concerns with the school. This was supposed to be happening at the end of the 1980s. I suspect that Mr Smith’s memory is somehow very faulty. John McNamara Oamaru I’M glad your headline editor toned down the fearful breastbeating indulged in recently by Central Otago mayor Malcolm Macpherson (ODT, 29.9.05). It is quite alarming to read such unbecomingly emotive and factually incorrect language from a mayor on the front page of a reputable newspaper. The mayor’s friend, Trevor Grice, referred to in the article, also likes stirring people up with the same bunkum claims. Your headline was more accurate, though your reporter seems keen on the same tactics as Messrs Macpherson and Grice, ie. trying to scare parents with exaggeration, distortion and selective use of facts. The police were most definitely concerned about alcohol, the most dangerous substance inter-generationally used and abused by Kiwis, but Dr Macpherson had nothing to say about that. Paula Lambert Christchurch [Abridged. Dr Macpherson also acknowledged alcohol was a problem— Ed.] My comment - Paula Lambert was number 4 on the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party list in New Zealand's recent general election - she has a vested interest in encouraging use!