Children are smoking synthetics in a Napier suburb that is gripped by addiction to the dangerous drug.
A Radio New Zealand report details how synthetic cannabis is damaging the community in Maraenui, the poorest suburb in Napier with high levels of unemployment.
Community advocate Minnie Ratima told RNZ she knew a boy who started using the drug when he was 11, and at 15 he is still struggling to break the habit.
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"He hasn't really had a childhood," she said.
Pukemokimoki Marae kaitiaki Marcia Crawford told RNZ she often finds people comatose in their cars in the mornings due to the drug, and three of her children are addicted to it.
There are five 'shops' in Maraenui that deal synthetics, and some people are spending hundreds of dollars a day on the drug.
A single mother struggling with addiction had her children taken off her when she was "high as a kite". She told RNZ she got hooked on the drug to block out the pain of being unable to provide properly for her children.
"I feel bad I can’t put bread and butter on the table for them. We need more employment. A lot of people here, if they had jobs they wouldn’t be so hooked on synthetics."
Synthetic cannabis is usually a dried herb or plant that is sprayed with a synthetic cannabinoid, and it aims to imitate THC which is found in cannabis.
- The drug contains highly toxic chemicals and reactions to it are unpredictable. There is a high risk of being poisoned and a risk of death.
According to the NZ Drug Foundation, users of the drug report experiences including:
- fast or irregular heartbeat
- racing thoughts
- dizziness
- hallucinations
- aggression
Often use of the drug is followed by a comedown for up to a few days, including anxiety, difficulty concentrating, irritability and sleep difficulties.
Using the drug can also bring on psychosis and extreme distress, and the risk is higher for people with a pre-existing mental illness.
Where to get help:
Alcohol and Drug Helpline: 24/7 advice, support and guidance 0800 787 797
Drug Help: Online advice and support https://drughelp.org.nz
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