A significant increase in drug use and availability is a concern and shows a need for an increase in support and harm reduction, says the NZ Drug Foundation Te Puna Whakaiti Pāmamae Kai Whakapiri.
Two major new drug use surveys released this week – the Ministry of Health’s NZ Health Survey 2023/24 and Massey University’s NZ Drug Trends Survey 2024 (NZDTS) – show significant increases in drug use and availability, especially cocaine.
Drug Foundation Executive Director Sarah Helm says that the latest findings are a cause for concern, especially given the addictive nature of the drugs that are becoming more commonly used.
“We need to prepare harm reduction, addiction and acute healthcare services for an increase in need,” she says.
“Cocaine has historically been difficult to get in New Zealand, but we’ve seen a doubling of reported use in the last two years to 2.4%. We’re concerned that people may not be aware of quite how addictive it is.”
The NZDTS also shows that the price of methamphetamine has been steadily decreasing, and that people who use the drug are taking it more frequently, with 54% reporting using at least once a week in 2024, up from 44% in the previous survey. Concerningly, 29% of those who use methamphetamine reported daily or near daily use, by far the highest proportion since the survey began.
“These findings back up what we’ve been hearing anecdotally – that people are consuming more methamphetamine more frequently. That’s a worry because it increases the risk of psychosis and hospitalisation.”
Helm says that the continued increase in use, alongside other data showing an alarming increase in overdoses, is a stark illustration of how our current approach is failing.
“This data shows yet again that our almost 50-year-old drug law is a complete failure. It has resulted in greater supply, addiction, overdose and an increasingly potent and toxic drug supply.”
“Relying solely on drug busts and supply restriction simply doesn’t work. We need a comprehensive, health-based drug policy that includes demand reduction and harm reduction.”
Key findings:
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NZ Drug Trends Survey 2024 – key findings
- In the past five years, the average price of cannabis, methamphetamine, MDMA, and psychedelics like LSD has fallen.
- The average price of an ounce of cannabis declined from $368 in 2017/18 to $329 in 2024 (11% decrease).
- 85% of cannabis users report that cannabis is ‘very easy’ or ‘easy’ to access in 2024.
- 24% of people now say that cocaine is easier to obtain than before.
- In 2024, 55% of people who use MDMA report that availability was stable, compared with 43% in 2022/23.
- 19% of people now say that psychedelics like LSD are ‘very easy’ to obtain, compared with 9% five years ago.
- 54% of people who use methamphetamine report using at least once a week in 2024, up from 44% in the previous survey. 29% reported daily or near daily use.
