Massey University study backs Kiwi Party policies

The Kiwi Party
Press Release
29th August

 The Kiwi Party Leader, Larry Baldock says the review of the Massey University’s Centre for Social Outcomes and Research and Evaluations (SHORE) which concludes that school based education programs have a minimal affect in changing long term effect of substance abuse confirms his party’s policy that we must change our drug policy from harm minimisation to harm elimination in our educational institutions.   

“Our children are too vulnerable not to do all we can to intervene when we can to offer them a safe and productive environment to learn the skills they need to equip them for the rest of their lives.”  Mr Baldock said. 

“Although the programs presented in the school are well prepared and presented and do a very good job at conveying relevant information about the effects drugs can have on an individuals life, they do little to change deep rooted value systems learned long before school going age.

Mr Baldock said that with more than four years personal experience with LSD and Marijuana as a teenager 35 years ago, he can say with some authority on the subject, that harm minimisation will never work.

“The Kiwi Party will continue to fully support former policeman Mark Sabin's proposal that he placed before Parliament’s Law and Order Select Committee more than a month ago,” said the party leader.

"Mr Sabin’s request for random drug tests for students aiming at identifying, intervening and deterring drug use should at least be trailed in several schools so that the results can speak for themselves. We must be prepared to trial new methods because the harm minimisation approach has clearly not reduced drug use at all. Too many parents are left with the nightmare scenario of dealing with their teenage drug users with nowhere to turn for help,” he said.

“Not only must we change the approach from harm minimisation to harm elimination we must also act to support the development of community based detox and rehab centres to assist those who do want to change the course of their lives,” he said.

In a recent Radio New Zealand program, Prof Sally Caswell, Director of the SHORE research team stated her belief that limiting the widespread marketing of alcohol would also help to diminish the negative effects the substance have on our school going youth.

“The Kiwi Party backs a policy that would support the raising of the legal drinking age back to 20 and impose tougher sentencing on those found supplying underage drinkers.” Larry Baldock said.   

 
ends

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