Ki Te Ara Whakamua: Pathways to Reducing Methamphetamine Harms was a call for change from 130 Māori experts in hauora and drug harm reduction regarding the challenges hapori Māori are experiencing with methamphetamine. This was held at Parliament on 26 July 2022.
Dr Rawiri McKree Jansen, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Hinerangi – and Jessica Apanui, Ngāti Porou – discussed the impacts colonisation has had on Māori health outcomes including methamphetamine and alcohol. They highlighted the need to challenge racism and colonisation, and eliminate poverty, which needs to start happening immediately.
Jessica shared her lived experience with methamphetamine harms and what whānau need to be well and flourish. She firmly believes that lived experience makes a huge difference and highlighted that there was a gap in kaupapa Māori services.