An increase in people accessing specialist addiction treatment highlights the hard work the sector is doing despite a longstanding lack of funding, the NZ Drug Foundation says.
A new monitoring report released by Te Hiringa Mahara – Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission today shows an increase in people accessing specialist addiction treatment, with over 3,000 more people accessing these services in 2024/25 compared to the previous year.
Drug Foundation Executive Director Sarah Helm says the increase is positive, but more investment is needed to meet the need in the community.
“It’s remarkable to see the heroic work that the sector is doing despite being underfunded for decades,” Helm says.
“We can’t solve issues like the big increase in methamphetamine harm without a step change in investment in addiction support. It’s desperately needed.”
Helm points out that despite the increase in people accessing services, the number of declined referrals to specialist addiction services is also increasing.
“The increase in declined referrals is concerning and it’s important we understand what is driving this.”
The report also shows more New Zealanders are accessing drug harm reduction information and support online, highlighting the importance of platforms like The Level.
The number of people accessing substance use support online has more than doubled in the last five years, from an estimated 73,326 people in 2020/21 to 197,494 in 2024/25.
Of that number, 174,818 people accessed information via The Level, the NZ Drug Foundation’s online harm reduction platform, in 2024/25.
Helm says the significant growth demonstrates that people who use drugs want to know how they can stay safer.
“Getting trustworthy information and advice in front of people early, no matter where they sit on the spectrum of drug use, is a no-brainer. It saves lives, prevents people from developing more severe issues, and saves the health system money.”
Helm says that if people can access information and support early enough, many substance use issues can be addressed at home or with whānau support, and don’t necessarily need intensive specialist support.
“We’ve focused hard on improving the self-help sections of The Level, with lots more planned this year, so it’s pleasing to see the growth in people accessing this crucial information.”
Notes:
Find the latest report from Te Hiringa Mahara – Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission on their website: https://www.mhwc.govt.nz/news-and-resources/mental-health-and-addiction-service-monitoring-2026-downloads
The Level combines research with real-life experiences from people who use drugs in New Zealand and provides relevant, trustworthy, and easy to understand support and advice. It is operated by the NZ Drug Foundation.
