Bill English’s rural visit looks at more than farming
A Manawatu¯ man is dead and four others have been taken to hospital after using synthetic cannabis.
Police confirmed 21-year-old Bradley James Wahanui, of Feilding, died on Thursday and four others were left in intensive care at Palmerston North Hospital after taking a ‘‘bad batch’’ of the illegal drug.
The death comes just weeks after nine people died after using synthetic cannabis in Auckland and has prompted a warning about the pernicious effects of substances that can leave people paralysed like zombies.
Meanwhile, police say there’s been a significant increase in synthetic cannabis use in Feilding. Since April, more than 150 packets of the illegal drug have been seized from Feilding homes.
During the latest incident, police seized 30 grams from another two National leader Bill English has strayed from the expected message of cows and crops in regional New Zealand.
English hit the campaign trail in Palmerston North and Levin yesterday, but there was more than just fancy farming promises in his bag of tricks.
The leader once again turned his attention to pressing social issues, saying it’s worth focusing on vulnerable people one-by-one.
English started his day at Te Tihi in Palmerston North, where the staff brought him up to speed on Kainga Wha¯ nau Ora’s clients: 95 Housing New Zealand households, 224 individuals – 43 per cent of whom run out of food every week due to lack of money.
They also told English about their alternative resolution model homes. The drugs have since been sent to a police laboratory for testing.
Manchester House Social Services manager Robyn Duncan had known Wahanui since he was 15. He was a hard working and ambitious man who wanted to become a chef in the Army, she said.
Before his death, he was doing an apprenticeship as a cook in a Feilding rest home.
It’s not known when Wahanui’s addition to synthetic cannabis started, Duncan said. He always wore a smile and never displayed the symptoms of a drug user.
‘‘He was a beautiful young man. It’s very sad he had an addiction to this,’’ Duncan said.
‘‘It’s pretty serious when it starts killing people and we certainly don’t want another death in our community from this.’’
Senior Constable John Samuela said the drug was crudely manufactured, often imported and trial, which offered a pre-charge alternative resolution to nonserious offenders.
The programme, which launched in 2013, has included 39 local Ma¯ ori. Between the 39 there was a total of 1039 offences, costing the community $14.25 million.
Of the 39, 22 continued to engage with Kainga Wha¯ nau Ora over the past few years and the total cost of their offending dropped from $663,000 in 2013 to $105,725 in 2016. Meanwhile, 16 of the 22 haven’t come back into the justice system.
In the past, Palmerston North man Rodney Wilson received up to 80 police callouts relating to domestic violence in a year. Since becoming part of the programme, Wilson has had one callout relating to domestic violence.
‘‘If it hasn’t been for Wha¯ nau Ora, I’d be locked up in jail,’’ Wilson told English. ‘‘I live for my mixed with several unknown chemicals.
‘‘It’s easier to get your hands on synthetics now than [marijuana],’’ he said.
‘‘It’s high, the levels in Feilding are high.’’
It’s often described as a psychoactive drug and people often don’t know what’s in it when they use it, he said.
In Manawatu¯, some people were trying to make their own concoction by mixing chemicals. ‘‘This is what makes it so dangerous,’’ Samuela said.
It frequently produced adverse effects, such as vomiting, foaming at the mouth and seizures.
Samuela had witnessed the zombie-like impact it had on users, where they were effectively unresponsive and almost paralysed.
He said Wahanui was a polite man who was respected by those he worked with and cooked for.
‘‘I last spoke to him about one daughter and her children and I can’t be with them if I’m in jail.’’
Wilson was picked up by police after trying to pawn a stolen laptop and he was given the choice of joining the programme. month ago at the rest home he as working at. He was very proud to share what he had done, how he did his cooking. ‘‘I had a lot of time for him.’’ Samuela said the effects of synthetic cannabinoids were much more unpredictable than
With the help of his navigator – similar to a case worker – he set goals for himself and put a plan into motion in order to achieve his aspirations. He now works as a cleaner and has a closer relationship marijuana. It gave users an instant high, followed by a period of debilitating illness, which usually resulted in vomiting.
St John confirmed ambulance staff had attended to one person in Feilding last week who displayed symptoms consistent with synthetic cannabis use. They were in a serious condition.
It had also taken three people to hospital after using the substance.
A Midcentral District Health Board spokeswoman, meanwhile, could only confirm one admission to the Palmerston North Hospital intensive care ward because of the substance use.
Drug Foundation executive director Ross Bell said legalising natural cannabis wouldn’t solve problems associated with synthetic substances.
‘‘A few years ago, I would have said ‘yes, you’re giving people a real choice’.
‘‘In hindsight, you’re living in a different reality now,’’ Bell said.
‘‘The chemicals are so new and can change frequently. Each year or every six months a new chemical can hit the streets.’’
Bad batches were likely to be due to the way it was dosed, rather than the presence of impurities or contaminants, he said. with his family.
English asked Wilson what was different about this programme.
‘‘When you’re finished with the programme, it’s not over. They’re always here to help me.’’
Then the National leader turned his attention to the staff: What works well? How is this programme different? What do you need from central government to get the programme to scale?
English was engaged with the clients, directors, navigators, police, Housing New Zealand staff, and DHB staff in the room.
He wanted to know how to help break the cycle for more New Zealanders in the same situation.
During his day he also visited wholesale food distribution company Bidfood in Palmerston North, as well as Horowhenua College and a cafe in Levin.
At each place he talked about taxes, agriculture and regional growth and employment.
But in each location he finished with social issues, sharing the story of what was happening in Palmerston North and a similar programme run by Life to the Max in Levin.
‘‘If they can change 39 families, they can change Palmerston North,’’ he said.
These were families with the most challenging set of social circumstances, and English said National wanted to help them, and other struggling Kiwis.
‘‘It’s worth focusing on them one by one.’’
National’s Palmerston North candidate Adrienne Pierce echoed English’s sentiment.
The city has had a lot of social issues in the past but was on the up, Pierce said.
She seemed frustrated by the idea that Labour was the party to fix those issues.
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