Health programme cleans up P scourge

Taura Witehira knew he had hit rock bottom when he had a 9mm gun sitting on his lap and he was wondering whether to use it on himself or on someone else.

At that stage, the 40-year-old former gang associate had been using methamphetamine for 15 years. At the height of his addiction he was using 2.5 grams a day.

‘‘I was shovelling it in,’’ he said. ‘‘My situation was very bad; I was in a very dark place.’’

Witehira, from Kaikohe, started using drugs aged 19.

He tried ‘‘everything under the sun’’ including marijuana, acid, mushrooms and heroin, though it was meth that hooked him ‘‘in a big way’’.

But for the last 21⁄2 months, Witehira has been clean, thanks to Te Ara Oranga pilot programme which is making significant inroads into tackling Northland’s P problem.

The pilot, which was launched last August and became operational in October, is a joint venture trialling an integrated model of police, health and community groups to try to rid the community of meth. There are now calls for the programme to be rolled out around the country.

In the first six months to March 2018, more than 300 meth users were referred to the Northland District Health Board for treatment and more than 100 of those were referred by police.

Northland DHB and police were allocated $3 million from proceeds of the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act to deliver the programme for one year.

Northland DHB general manager of mental health and addiction services Ian McKenzie said he was ‘‘pleased to report that an additional six months of funding has been approved by the ministry’’. ‘‘We will be working closely with our partners and the community to further strengthen methamphetamine harm reduction in Northland through Te Ara Oranga,’’ McKenzie said.

Police minister Stuart Nash said police would continue to support the programme out of its ordinary operating budget for

2018-19.

He congratulated Northland police on Operation Ghost, where

11 men and 11 women were arrested during police raids in Whangarei, Dargaville, Kawakawa, Moerewa, Kaikohe, Kaitaia and Awanui in June.

Fourteen people identified through the operation were referred to Northland DHB for help with their addictions.

The night he was contemplating murder or suicide, Witehira reached out to his sister, who referred him on to the programme. His whanau have ‘‘wrapped their arms around him’’ with their love and support.

He has put on weight, is sleeping better, and has taken up physical exercise including walking and boxing.

‘‘When I first came here I looked like a dried-up leaf,’’ he said. ‘‘Now my body is coming right. And it’s keeping my mind stable.’’

Te Ara Oranga clinician Ivy Tenana said addicts were helped through courses, counselling, support groups, and anger management tailored to their individual needs. ‘‘We talk about triggers, and coping strategies and high risk situations.

‘‘With any drug taking there’s always some underlying issues that have triggered them to go to that place of darkness. I’m super proud of where Taura is today.’’

‘‘We talk about triggers, and coping strategies and high risk situations.’’

Te Ara Oranga clinician Ivy Tenana