Drug Trafficking Rise

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31662, 24 April 1968, Page 10

Drug Trafficking Rise

Trafficking in drugs in New Zealand was increasing, Detective Superintendent F. A. Gordon, the head of the Christchurch Criminal Investigation Branch said on Monday evening.

In 1958 no prosecutions were brought against Euro-

peans, but In 1967 there were 61, he told a meeting organised by the Burnside branch of the Catholic Women's League.

This year in Auckland there had been 14 prosecutions to mid-February, and the Wellington figure was similar.

If the trend continued this year’s figures would set a record, but it was not a record to be proud of. Detective Superintendent Gordon said that youth listened to propaganda which tended to glamorise drugs rather than that which emphasised the dangers. Marijuana was a drug on which a variety of opinions was expressed, one being that its danger was no greater than smoking tobacco or drinking beer.

The World Health Organisation said that marijuana was dangerous. U.N.E.S.C.O. in January said the drug was dangerous and the organisation was disturbed to see in places a tendency to relinquish control of it. U.N.E.S.C.O. wanted restrictions on its use tightened in member countries.

In New Zealand the price for a marijuana cigarette was between 50c and 70c. Detective Superintendent Gordon said that he thought authorities did not regard marijuana as being as bad as the harder drugs but that it was regarded as a stepping stone.

It was difficult in New Zealand to find how the drug came in but prosecutions

seemed to confirm that it came usually from the east through seamen. Although there had been an outcry'against the powers of search without warrant given by the Narcotics Act, the English authorities gave their police the same powers. The dangers from hallucinogenic drugs, such as L.S.D., were colourlessness, tastelessness and odourlessness. A person might not know he had taken such a drug until the effects were felt. L.S.D. could be made in a high school laboratory with materials that were available.

Postage-stamp size squares of blotting paper, which had been soaked in an L.S.D. solution, sold for about $4. In psychiatry the proper dosage was between 30 and 50 micromiiligrams. In samples of the illicit drug tested the dosage was between 80 and 120 micromilligrams.

Education was thq only way of making sure the illicit traffic did not spread, said Detective Superintendent Gordon. “The police can cope only if they have the moral support of responsible people although there will; always be irresponsibles who: will try drugs.”