Key to outline aims for P production crackdown

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Prime Minister John Key will today announce new measures to crack down on P, expected to include tighter controls on over-the-counter pills used to make the highly addictive drug.

Mr Key will use a speech in Auckland to outline policies that have gone before Cabinet in the past two months to combat gangs that make methamphetamine and address and reduce the harm it causes.

Mr Key has already revealed recommendations from his chief science adviser, Sir Peter Gluckman, on ways to control pseudoephedrine, which is used to make P. The ingredient is commonly found in over-the-counter cold remedies.Mr Key said in August that Sir Peter had recommended several measures to restrict it, including making it a prescription-only drug.

Cabinet considered the recommendations last month.

But Mr Key has made clear that restricting or even banning pseudoephedrine was not the only answer, and that officials are working on an across-government approach.

His speech is expected to outline measures such as tougher border controls – likely to be aimed at imports of pseudoephedrine, as well as P – and drug education, rehabilitation and harm reduction initiatives.

He said in August that the package was being worked on by a special unit based in his office and comprising officials from the health, education, justice and customs departments. It had proposed ways to increase help for addicts and their families and communities.

The Government has already passed laws that make it easier to seize assets and profits from gangs that produce or deal drugs, and is passing a bill that has stronger measures to crack down on money laundering.

Sir Peter said he could not reveal what he had recommended to Mr Key, but there were alternatives to pseudoephedrine for treating cold symptoms.

Countries that had banned or restricted pseudoephedrine seemed to "get by" without it. "The Dutch ... haven't had it for years and I don't think they're having many problems."

Banning pseudoephedrine or making it a prescription-only medicine would reduce the number of clandestine methamphetamine labs, but that alone would not wipe out New Zealand's P problem, he said.

"There are other measures that one would have to put in place, such as drug treatment, better border controls and so on.

"I believe that one of the reasons the prime minister's held this [report] is clearly he's thinking what other things can [he] do to make a total package."

- © Fairfax NZ News