A new life without methamphetamine: Nathan Rakuraku’s story

NZ Herald 24 April 2017
Family First Comment: No surprises – sadly. Marijuana a gateway drug. That’s why the potency of marijuana has increased so much. Dope dealers know that users will want to get ‘harder’ stuff eventually – but don’t want them not using their drug.
#saynopetodope
“People talked about it like it was food… We called it kai. That’s more or less what it was. We didn’t care about food – we needed meth.” Jordan Bond talks to a lifelong meth user who got his life back on piste and off pipe.
Most seven-year-olds can tie their shoes. They can brush their teeth on their own and catch a ball pretty well. They can balance on one foot, but might still need some food cut up for them. They get dirty and they’re usually just busy being kids.
Nathan Rakuraku was learning how to use a lighter.
He started smoking marijuana at seven years old. Between his dysfunctional two homes and the people who frequented them, he was surrounded by substances from year dot.
“I had no father. The males around me were using, and I wanted to be like them. I picked up on the bad things because I thought they were good things at that age.”
The use of methamphetamine – a mainstay at his primary house – was an inevitability for him. He left high school at 15 after getting caught stealing cash from the office.
The floodgates opened. He had time, money and meth to use and sell. He was as free as he was imprisoned. Meth was novel and thrilling, and he was flying higher than ever.
“When days were good, they were good,” Nathan said. “But when they were bad, they were really bad, like it was the end of the world.”
His own and others’ demand didn’t slow, and it quickly became vital in order to even function. He was living day to day, hit to hit.
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