The government has signalled that it is going to make the 'legal high' industry go away. This coincidentally happened after the Labour Party and others said that they wold rid us of these leeches who sell misery in the corner shops of so many towns and cities in NZ. It seems that the planning did not take into account the 40 plus varieties on sale that somehow managed to sneak through the processes put in place by Peter Dunne, the Minister who's son is acting on behalf of the 'industry.' OK, I don't care who does it as long as something happens to take these nasty substances out of our communities.
That also means that there will be an element t of 'underground activity, controlled no doubt by the gangs and other criminals. This must be measured against the fact that at least it will not be so visible and as visible or available as it is now. Not everyone is prepared to take that next step and deal with gangs and other unlawful 'citizens.'
There is another ramification to any successful law change; one that makes it harder for the ordinary person to buy these substances and that is the large number of people who are dependant on their daily fix(es). There will need to be a massive input re resources to help these people, because sudden cold turkey is not going to work for many of them. We need to step up and take the next step and make sure that help is available, but having said that, there is a shortage of resources for other users of substances, both the illegal ones and the legal like alcohol.
The Government has taken a huge step (and that means all of us) re the next phase of the battle against 'legal, soon to be illegal highs' but please do not leave these very vulnerable people in the lurch. They must be supported or we will be creating a whole new group, ostracised by society and withdrawn and attracted to the underworld. That will mean a substantial input from us the taxpayers because if we don't, the cost will be very much higher in every sense. Let's work together on this difficult problem, because what we have seen so far is only the tip of an iceberg that has been in our waters for quite some time.
That also means that there will be an element t of 'underground activity, controlled no doubt by the gangs and other criminals. This must be measured against the fact that at least it will not be so visible and as visible or available as it is now. Not everyone is prepared to take that next step and deal with gangs and other unlawful 'citizens.'
There is another ramification to any successful law change; one that makes it harder for the ordinary person to buy these substances and that is the large number of people who are dependant on their daily fix(es). There will need to be a massive input re resources to help these people, because sudden cold turkey is not going to work for many of them. We need to step up and take the next step and make sure that help is available, but having said that, there is a shortage of resources for other users of substances, both the illegal ones and the legal like alcohol.
The Government has taken a huge step (and that means all of us) re the next phase of the battle against 'legal, soon to be illegal highs' but please do not leave these very vulnerable people in the lurch. They must be supported or we will be creating a whole new group, ostracised by society and withdrawn and attracted to the underworld. That will mean a substantial input from us the taxpayers because if we don't, the cost will be very much higher in every sense. Let's work together on this difficult problem, because what we have seen so far is only the tip of an iceberg that has been in our waters for quite some time.
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