Pubdate: Sat, 21 May 2005
Source: New Zealand Herald (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2005 New Zealand Herald
Contact:  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/300
Author: Eugene Bingham

KEEPING TABS ON DRUG TRENDS

What's hot and what's not in the illicit drug scene will soon be
uncovered by university researchers.

The Massey University team will spend the next two months talking to
180 drug users in what is believed to be the biggest survey of its
kind in New Zealand. They hope to find participants for the survey
through bars, clubs and cafes in Auckland, Whangarei, Hamilton,
Wellington and Christchurch.

Posters have been put up inviting "24-hour party people" to take part
in the study. Participants will be assured of anonymity and the
information will only be reported in aggregate, under rules approved
by a university ethics committee.

Lead researcher Dr Chris Wilkins, of the university's Centre for
Social and Health Outcomes Research and Evaluation (Shore), said they
hoped to find out what the trends were for illicit drug use.

Questions would the price, availability, and health effects of
substances.

A key aspect will include what drugs are proving most popular and what
new ones are hitting the scene.

A Herald investigation into the drug business last month found that
drug testers were encountering new substances, including variations of
existing drugs produced to appeal to a new market.

The methamphetamine drug P, for example, is being challenged in
popularity by the party drug "Ice" - even though the two drugs are
virtually identical. Variations of Ecstasy are also on the market, and
there have been cases recently of combo-drugs that blend party pill
ingredients with substances such as methamphetamine.

Dr Wilkins said the Government-funded survey would be conducted this
year and the next two years, at a cost of $140,000 a year.

The regularity of the survey would enable Government agencies such as
the Ministry of Health to plot trends and be more pro-active with drug
policy, rather than reacting to drug epidemics.

It will supplement the three-yearly national drug survey - a poll of
households designed to uncover the extent of substance abuse across
the country.

Information will also be gathered from people whose work brings them
into contact with drug users, including treatment counsellors, club
owners, and health workers. A third strand of information will come
from official data such as arrest and seizure figures.

The Ministry of Health's public health intelligence manager, Barry
Borman, said he strongly supported the study.

If you are interested in taking part, researchers can be contacted
at:

* Whangarei 0800 111-490
* Auckland Central 0800 111-491
* Auckland South 0800 111-495
* Hamilton 0800 111-492
* Wellington 0800 111-493
* Christchurch 0800 111-494
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin