High doses of meth found in candy distributed by New Zealand charity | Parami News

A charity firm in New Zealand gave candies laced with potentially deadly amounts of meth to its food parcels, sparking alarm.

According to AFP, the New Zealand Drug Foundation said that around three grams of meth were found in a sample of one white wrapped candy and another in yellow wrapping.

The foundation’s spokesperson cautioned, “Eating methamphetamine like this is incredibly dangerous and could cause death.”

Candies had been contributed as gifts by a member of the public who remains anonymous and were distributed afterwards via sealed branded packings within food supplies.

“There could be a lethal substance dressed up as a lolly (sweet) for all NZers,” Auckland city mission Helen Robinson told reporters.

Robinson mentioned the staff was now contacting almost 400 people to trace any packages that could have contained these treats which were actual blocks of methamphetamine disguised as confectionery. The criminal investigation has been launched by New Zealand police over this issue.

Robinson said eight different families have so far been affected but no one has yet required hospitalization.

She referred to an instance where one parent gave his child one of these sweets who spat it out immediately, describing it as “acrid and revolting”. She warned that touching or even licking such substances can have serious consequences on anyone’s life.

What is Meth?

Methamphetamine – a highly addictive drug and powerful stimulant affecting the central nervous system. It comes in white crystalline powder form that is tasteless, odorless and dissolves easily in water or alcohol.

First synthesized from amphetamine back in early XX century, methamphetamine initially appeared as nasal decongestant and bronchial inhaler. Like amphetamine, it increases activity and talkativeness while suppressing appetite (a popular street term for this effect is called “speed”) therefore induces feeling of well-being or euphoria. However methamphetamine differs from amphetamine at similar doses because it delivers much more drug into the brain making it a stronger stimulant. It also has much more long lasting and harmful effects on the central nervous system. According to National Institute of Drug Abuse, these properties make it highly prone to widespread abuse.

Impact of Methamphetamine

Even in small amounts, methamphetamine boosts wakefulness and physical functioning while reducing hunger. But it can as well lead to various heart problems such as increased heart rate, irregular heartbeat or high blood pressure. In case of an overdose hyperthermia may be accompanied by convulsions that can result in death without immediate medical intervention.

At present, the most successful treatment for methamphetamine addiction is behavioral therapies.

What to do when you misuse methamphetamine?

The Matrix Model – a 16 week comprehensive approach to treating stimulant abuse that integrates behavioral therapy, family education, individual counseling, 12-step support groups, drug testing with incentives for non-drug related activities – has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing methamphetamine use. Additionally, contingency management interventions showing efficacy provide tangible rewards for treatment engagement and maintenance of abstinence. An incentive-based method designed to promote complete abstinence from cocaine and methamphetamine is called Motivational Incentives for Enhancing Drug Abuse Recovery (MIEDAR) and has been shown effective by NIDA’s National Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network.