September 06, 2022
Role for aunties in meth fight
Bring in the aunties.
That’s the suggestion from the lead author of a new report recommending sweeping changes in how New Zealand deals with methamphetamine abuse.
The report commissioned by the Drug Foundation and the Helen Clark Foundation calls for a health based rather than punitive approach, and says properly resourced kaupapa-Maori programmes could make a major difference.
Philippa Yasbek says programmes like Northland’s Te Ara Oranga, which focuses on whanau and whakapapa connections, need to be rolled out across the country.
“They have very good results using these approaches. Obviously if you want to scale thee things up it will take a small amount of time but there is certainly a large pool of people who would be willing and interested to do that. Large pool of aunties out there willing to be trained if the money was made available,” she says.
Ms Yasbek says meth addiction is costing the country more than a million dollars a day – so investing in proper care is a no brainer.