Lost souls – Northern Advocate – 7^th June 2013

Synthetic substances

My wife and I went to support the organisers of the protest against synthetic substances (drugs) on Tuesday. It was an eye opening experience of many levels. We learnt that these substances are being sold from a number of outlets in our CBD, we saw how many people are buying the products and that it can affect society at all levels. If other such events take place we urge people to get along in support of them. Do not turn a blind eye, walk around in a dream and pretend it is not happening. There are lost soles in our community that are other people's family, friends and they all need us to care, show our opposition to this remaining a legal substance and look for the answers to why such stuff is happening. We need to support the many organisations that help these people. If you think you can turn your back on these things and do nothing, that it will never affect you, sorry but you are wrong and it already is. This situation is alive and kicking in every part of this country and our beautiful area is no exception. Is your child going to school with kids that are taking this, are you working alongside someone that has taken it and yet you rely on them to be able to work with lethal machinery? Who is driving that car coming towards you? It’s a game of chance and you are a player whether you like it or not. There is only one way to get out of the game and that is for us, as a community, to support these people running such events, so we can all be winners. If we want to lift this society we live in we have to lift it from the bottom, all the way up.

Warren Slater

Maunu

Items that were abridged by the Northern Advocate are in italics, (for their published copies)