By Patrick Gower
It has been a year since Prime Minister John Key declared war on the drug P, and today he pointed to results showing an increase in seizures.
The authorities, and Mr Key, had hoped to see P prices rising as evidence that the anti-P campaign was working.
But that hasn't happened.
The is the latest attempt to fight the drug P is a road sign; Black Power leader Mane Edmonds helped put it up.
He's a former user who knows the damage it can do.
“I saw it divide our people, I saw it divide leaders, I saw it divide families and then I made a stance against it,” Mr Edmonds says.
John Key has taken similar stance.
He declared war on P and a year on admits he needs all the help he can get.
“I think we're doing the best that we can, under the circumstances we face and I think we are making progress.”
Mr Key is pleased with a crackdown and increased seizures.
But a key measure of the success of the campaign is whether the price would be driven up.
And Mr Key's own progress report shows the price on the street has hardly changed.
The average price of a gram is now $723 dollars, down from $738 in April.
A ‘point’ – the main way it's sold – is $107 – slightly up on $100.
“Price is an indicator; you've got to remember like a lot of things in life price is just one indicator – prices adjust,” Mr Key says.
Edmonds did have some good news for the Prime Minister; his indications are it's harder to get.
“What I've seen on the street, what I see around with my own chapters – it is hard to get hold of.”
The Prime Minister's so-called "war on P" is far from a victory yet and may even be turning into a bit of quagmire.
But don't forget one of the main weapons – a ban on pseudoephedrine – is still to come, and won't be in force until next year.
3 News
source: newshub archive
