23 June 2005

Anderton Chairs Drug Forum

Jim Anderton will chair a Dunedin public forum this evening on P, alcohol and other drugs, the latest in a series of public meetings on drug abuse he is chairing around New Zealand.

The minister, who chairs the ministerial committee on drug policy, said that as usual an open session will allow for questions to be taken from the floor to the panel of experts that will be attending with him.

"The feedback from other meetings that I have convened is that they are considered well worthwhile by the local communities which have so far participated.

"They are an opportunity to gather information about what is being done and where to get help, as well as a good meeting place to share practical advice on how we can together beat drug abuse in our communities," the Progressive leader said.

Jim Anderton has held meetings around New Zealand over the past year and is due to chair three more meetings, in Napier, Whakatane and Levin, over the next six weeks.

Alcohol abuse is New Zealand's biggest single drug problem and there are concerns about the abuse of legal substances, as well as the abuse of dangerous illegal drugs like methamphetamine or P.

ENDS

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