Methamphetamines and Demand Reduction

How can we change the market culture and demand for

methamphetamines?

A Review of the New Zealand Demand Reduction Strategy

June 16th, 2015

Why Australia? Reasons why there is a lucrative market for methamphetamine in Australia

Price

Organised crime gangs are flooding Australia with ice and other illegal drugs because Australians

are prepared to pay world record prices for them. We are one of the world leaders in terms of

price at up to $720,000 a kilo of crystal meth (ice), compared to the United States where the

average price is $100,000 per kilo and china about $7000 a kilo. Organised crime is aware

Australians have a particularly high disposable income after decades of economic growth’. –

source: the ACC’s national manager of strategic intelligence, Hamish Hansford

Soft or Token Penalties

Penalties for drug trafficking and use are all too often a ‘slap on the wrist’. WA has recently

proposed tougher penalties for trafficking, but it is yet to be tested.

Availability, Accessibility and Acceptability, without Accountability lead to a permissive drug policy

regime.

Lack of knowledge about methamphetamines

The most common forms of amphetamine are powder and tablets or capsules.

Methylamphetamine has four common forms — tablet, crystal, base (also referred to as paste)

and powder (also referred to as speed) — with powder the most common form used in

Australia. Ice is generally heated and the vapours inhaled. It may also be injected after being

dissolved in water.

Crystal methylamphetamine, often referred to as ‘ICE’ or ‘crystal meth’, is a highly purified form

that is crystalline in appearance. Intelligence obtained by the ACC reveals the median purity of

ICE on sale in WA is the second highest in Australia at 71.1 per cent pure, compared with

between 50 and 68 per cent in other states. 1

Lack of awareness of the harms to mental and physical health

Due to slight structural differences, methylamphetamine produces a stronger nervous

system response than amphetamine.

Short-term effects of use may include sweating, headaches, insomnia, anxiety and

paranoia. High doses can result in blurred vision, hallucinations, tremors and stroke.

Long-term use may result in severe dental problems, reduced immunity, high blood

pressure, depression, impaired memory and concentration, deficits in motor skills,

aggressive or violent behaviour, anxiety, cardiovascular problems and kidney failure

1 2015, May 4th, Interview Professor Simon Lenton, Deputy Director Illicit Drug Use with Curtin National Drug Research Institute

Lack of Political Will

Low government priority to provide preventative initiatives such as effective, targeted and

continuing community education campaigns.

In 2002-5 Australia had a well funded and resourced National School Drug Education Program.

By 2007 it was effectively dismantled. Schools are now left to their own devices in dealing

with drugs issues and rely on charities or NGO’s to provide education programs.

In 2006/7 the Federal Government’s Department of Health and Ageing produced a

confronting, but potentially effective media and community communication campaign

designed for television. Every household received a booklet about the harms of illicit drugs.

Interestingly the 2007 National Household Survey showed a decrease in illicit drug use.

Unfortunately the media campaign was short-lived; had it been sustained, we may have

seen even better results in the 2010 Household Survey.

More political emphasis and government resourcing has been allocated to treatment and harm

reduction. These are necessary, but really represent the ‘ambulance at the bottom of the cliff’

scenario.

Why do we need to take preventative action?

Pandemic destroying our young, their brains and their future potential.

High negative impact on safety and productivity in workplaces

Increased risk and danger on our roads

Increased violence in our communities, families and relationships

An example close to home - Methamphetamine has been blamed for the majority of violent and

property crimes in lower socio-economic areas of the Perth Metro Region including Armadale,

Manning, Gosnells, Rockingham, Kwinana, Midland, Caversham among others 2

What can be done? - Successful models of Demand Reduction

A number of countries have demonstrated examples of demand reduction and early intervention

to prevent harms caused by methamphetamines

2 2015, Madox,. A; Journal of Substance Abuse Illicit Drug Use and the Link the Violent and Property Crime in Low Socio Economic Areas

New Zealand’s “Demand Reduction Strategy”

New Zealand’s multi-agency initiative has contributed to halving methamphetamine use in New

Zealand since 2009.

The project “Tackling Methamphetamine: An Action Plan” is a cross-agency programme involving

the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC), Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health,

NZ Police, Department of Corrections, Te Puni Kokiri, and the NZ Customs Service.

Since the project began in 2009, the estimated number of 16-64 year-old New Zealanders using

methamphetamines has dropped from 2.2% to 0.9%. Compare this with Western Australia which

has the highest rate of use in the country at 3.8% of 14 years and older 3

Recent use of methamphetamines, people aged 14 years or older, by sex and state/territory, 2013 (per cent)

Sex NSW Vic Qld WA SA Tas ACT NT Aust

Males 1.7 2.5 2.6 5.4 2.8 4.8 3.2 3.2 2.7

Females 1.1 1.3 1.9 2.1 1.7 1.3 1.3 2.4 1.5

Persons 1.4 1.9 2.3 3.8 2.2 *3.0 2.2 *2.8 2.1

Effective education

To reduce demand, the project has put in place programmes to increase awareness of the risks of

methamphetamine use. The Ministry of Health reports that use of meth information and resources

has increased with visits to MethHelp rising by 8,740 visits between April and September 2013.

More seeking treatment

The Action Plan is also providing better access to help and support which has resulted in an

increase in the number of people seeking treatment. ‘Meth’ related calls received by the Alcohol

and Drug Helpline increased from 1,256 in 2009 to 4,180 as of June 2013. The number of Police

detainees who have reported participating in an alcohol and drug treatment has also increased

from 499 in 2009 to 1,026 in 2013. The Ministry of Health has also reported that number of

methamphetamine users who have accessed residential treatment jumped from 36 in 2010 to 660

as of September 2013.

Community Action on Youth and Drugs Programme (CAYAD)

The CAYAD programme represents the most comprehensive demand reduction effort by the

community. Thirty CAYAD projects funded by the Ministry of Health operate in 29 sites around

New Zealand. The CAYAD Programme is aimed at building resilience in communities to harmful

drug use through locally identified action.

3 2014, National Drug Strategy Household Survey

CAYADs focus on prevention activities and address methamphetamine problems experienced in

their communities. For example, CAYADs promote informed community debate on drug issues,

develop and promote safe policies, support best practice programmes in schools and sports clubs,

and help different groups connect.

Some CAYADs based in Auckland and the upper North Island are responding to

methamphetamine-related issues, as these are apparent in their communities. There is also a

national CAYAD project with a specific focus on New Zealand-based gangs involved in the

manufacture, distribution and use of methamphetamine.

Education, Awareness and Fear Campaign and Information Provision

A growing body of evidence suggests that providing information about treatment is more

effective than drug education social marketing campaigns. Research in the United States on mass

communication to increase public awareness and change behaviour suggests that while they

may achieve the former, they have little to no effect on behaviour. For some groups, notably

teenagers, these campaigns may actually decrease perceptions of the risks of taking drugs.

The Ministry of Health has developed a Demand Reduction Information Programme that aims to

reduce the demand for, and harms associated with, methamphetamine use in New Zealand. This

involves the development of an independent website, the production of new resource materials

and guidance on available sources of treatment and help. The website aims to educate

family/whānau and users about treatment options. The new website will provide a centralised

source of reliable information about harms and raise awareness of the impact on communities. It

will also have strong links with treatment professionals, including on-line assessment tools. There

is potential for future ‘real-time’ engagement between users and AOD counsellors.

Problem limitation

Treatment

Many people with methamphetamine dependence do not believe they have a problem; however

the consequences of methamphetamine use can be devastating for some dependant users and

their families. Treatment for methamphetamine requires a skilled approach to enable clients to

change their behaviours and find solutions to address their drug use.

There is a growing acceptance among researchers and New Zealand policy makers that long term

residential care of up to 9 month is the most effective treatment of choice. The reality for most

people is that treatment will need to be provided though residential services in addition to

intensive counselling for a long time.

Criminal justice pilots

Sending users to prison can make the problem worse. Recent pilots allow the justice system to

respond more effectively to methamphetamine users, including: Police Watchhouse Nurses Pilot

to help identify methamphetamine problems on arrest at the station, and provide information

about treatment and refer to treatment when available. Justice/Health pilot of AOD clinicians in

the court room to assist judges with early identification of offenders with methamphetamine

problems and make recommendations for further assessment and treatment. A three year pilot

began in April 2011 in Wellington, Porirua, Whangarei, Kaikohe and two youth courts.

CADS Specialist AOD Offender Teams pilot provides outpatient group AOD counselling for

offenders on community sentences and prison-based counselling within the Auckland

metropolitan area. Over 2,000 clients are being engaged each month.

Summarising the Three Pillars of the Co-Ordinated New Zealand Methamphetamine Demand Reduction Strategy

Pillar 1 – Better Routes to Treatment

Pillar 2 – Community Support

Pillar 3 – Governance