Well done, Wellington, on tackling Volatile Substance Misuse

Jim Anderton today congratulated Wellington City Council on the up-and-coming launch of Wellington’s New Zealand Retailers Code of Practice – Sensible Selling: Reducing Volatile Substance Misuse, this week.

“As Minister responsible for the National Drug Policy, one of the most disturbing issues that I have had to deal with is the continuing presence of volatile substance abuse. The level of this type of abuse is down since its peak in the 1980s but it's hard to celebrate that fact when you read a coroner's report on six deaths of young New Zealanders from volatile substance abuse, as I did in 2005.

“The Ministerial Committee on Drug Policy, which I Chair, met a representative of the retailers association late last year to discuss possible ways that we could lower the statistics even further in this area. In particular we raised the possibility of a Retailers Code that would get buy-in from retailers nationally.

“Therefore the announcement of a Wellington code is most welcome and will inform the work that the New Zealand Drug Foundation is already undertaking on this issue for the Ministry of Health. The intention is to evaluate the Wellington resource, and to ensure it is in line with best practice, with a view to releasing the resource nationally.

“As I understand it, the Wellington resource has been developed as a joint effort between the Wellington City Council, the New Zealand Retailers Association and a local member of Parliament.

It is only through the concerted efforts of central and local government, retailers and Parliamentarians from all parties that we will see a reduction in this most unfortunate practice of volatile substance misuse, which so often ends tragically,” Jim Anderton said

Examples of volatile substances are glue, petrol, butane gas and LPG.

ends

Super-Wards: Commission Proposes New Boundaries For Auckland

The Local Government Commission presented its proposals on the boundaries and representation arrangements for the new Auckland Council today.

Under the Local Government (Auckland Council) Act 2009, the Commission is required to determine boundaries for the new Auckland Council, wards and local boards, ward and board names and the number of members per local board. More>>