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I’ve never used meth. And I hope I never do.  

I say “hope” because I think that’s as certain as you can be about a drug like that.  

Because none of us know what’s going to happen in the future and whether we might just find ourselves in a position where we might just feel a bit differently about using it.  

I don't know how many times I’ve read stories about people saying they had no idea they'd end up using meth. And there’s no shortage of them, with use of the drug in New Zealand increasing by 96% in the past two years – nearly doubled.  

Which proves to me that we are losing the battle against this drug and, if we don't do things differently, we’ll lose the war against it as well.  

Which is why I agree with the Labour Party, which is saying today that it’s all well and good for the Prime Minister to be calling on his Police and Justice Ministers to look into the situation.   

Quite rightly, Chris Hipkins is saying that the PM needs to bring the Health Minister into the conversation, as well. Because, whether we like it or not —however we feel about drugs of any sort— if we only keep on treating meth users as criminals, then what are we going to achieve?  

Absolutely nothing. And we’ll have more and more people on the path to meth misery.   

So these latest stats about how much meth is being used are quite something.  

A 96% increase over two years – which is being described as unprecedented. They're saying the social harm caused by meth has a $1.5 billion cost attached to it.  

And the Prime Minister says he is “quite concerned”. In fact, he’s so concerned that he’s getting his Police Minister and his Justice Minister to “look into it”.  

Isn’t it brilliant? When you’re in opposition you’d talk about these numbers and describe it as it a crisis and go on about not enough being done. When you’re in government though, you’re quite concerned, and you get a couple of people to look into it.  

But here’s where I struggle. You see, I'm someone who voted “no” in the cannabis referendum a few years back. And I did that because of the information void there seems to be about the mental health consequences of smoking weed.  

So I said no to weed, but I seem to be a bit more liberal when it comes to meth.  

I can’t explain why, because if there was another cannabis referendum today, I’d probably vote the same way. But, when it comes to meth, I'm convinced that you can’t just treat it as a crime thing.  

Yes, the dealers who trade the stuff are scumbags. Which is where the Prime Minister and the Government seem to be focused – with Christopher Luxon saying it’s why they're cracking down on gangs. And why he's asked Ministers Goldsmith and Mitchell to see what else can be done.  

But don't stop at those two, Prime Minister. You should also be getting Health Minister Simeon Brown and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey involved too. Because Mitchell and Goldsmith can thump the table as much as they like. They can do all the tough guy talk, but that won't change a thing.  

Because, Prime Minister, this huge increase in meth use has happened under your watch —as well as the last government's— and the strongest thing you can say about it is you’re “quite concerned”? 

And the strongest thing you can do is to get your two guys in charge of catching people and locking them up to look into it? 

Don’t get me wrong. The low-lifes who peddle this stuff need targeting. But, most people, when they start using meth —from what I’ve read and heard— there’s a reason.  

Sure, some will give it a go for the thrill, but I reckon most people are using it to block stuff out. And, unless we do something truly meaningful which gets to the nub of what’s going with these people, treating them as criminals won’t solve it.  

And by not treating meth use as a health issue, it just leaves the problem in the laps of parents, and brothers and sisters, and friends who not only have to watch someone they love get lost in addiction – they also have to try and save them, on their own.