The director of private drug consultancy group Methcon was in Dunedin discussing the prevention of meth, or "P", use with Otago educators.
Organised by Rotary clubs of Dunedin, the talk was designed to inform educators about how the drug which the nation had "embraced with a vengeance" affected individuals and communities.
"The harm from drug use is minuscule to the user. It's the community that picks up the tab," Mr Sabin said.
Increased use of P correlated to increased violent crime in our society, which was "highly susceptible" to drug use.
Geographic isolation and immaturity were factors in New Zealand's becoming the world's greatest population of drug users, he said.
"It's ours: it's of our making, our apathy, our ignorance and our arrogance."
High drug potency and misguided government policy was not helping the situation.
Rather than focusing on harm reduction, Mr Sabin wanted the Government to fund anti-P advertising campaigns as it did for smoking and alcohol, make the sale of drug utensils illegal, and ban "legal highs".
Targeting supply and treatment was "ambulance at the bottom of the cliff" thinking.
"The smart money is in demand reduction," Mr Sabin said.
The highest drug use occurred in people aged 15 to 24, when peer pressure and curiosity made them susceptible and exposure was high.
If teenagers could be involved in starting a "social revolution" against drug use, and save their brains from drug-induced destruction, he believed they would be empowered and drug users would be ostracised in society.
Educating teenagers about the real damage P caused to their bodies, their lives and their communities was important.
Every city in the country thought it did not have a drug problem, but assuming an area was safe from the ravages of drug abuse was "naive".
He called on community leaders to help solve the problem.
"Communities will solve the problem; not the police, not legislation, but us."
Rotary hopes to assist schools with funding to enable Mr Sabin to speak to pupils, teachers and parents about the issue of P.
