New data showing record-breaking cocaine consumption is just the latest evidence that the country’s drugs approach is failing, the NZ Drug Foundation says.
New wastewater testing data released by Police today shows cocaine consumption surged nationwide to an all-time high in Q4 2025, exceeding MDMA consumption for the first time. Meanwhile, methamphetamine consumption remained stubbornly high following a doubling in the second half of 2024. (ref. https://www.police.govt.nz/about-us/publication/national-drugs-wastewater-testing-programme-quarter-4-2025 )
“Cocaine consumption has been increasing since mid-2022. Cocaine carries increased risk of a few harms, including increased addiction and overdose,” says Drug Foundation Executive Director Sarah Helm.
The data is a stark illustration that we have our policy settings wrong.
“The dramatic increases in methamphetamine and cocaine consumption over the last two years are unprecedented,” she says.
“A long-term under-investment in treatment and harm reduction, coupled with an over-reliance on supply side measures hasn’t worked,” says Helm.
“Consumption is at record levels, drug use is diversifying, prices are down, harm is increasing, and new potent drugs are arriving. Every indicator is screaming at us to change our approach,” Helm says.
Helm says new interventions announced last week in the Government’s Action Plan to Prevent and Reduce Substance Harm will go some way to responding to the increase in harm, but a more fundamental shift is needed.
“If we could wave a magic wand, we would do two things: vastly increase the spending on addiction treatment and harm reduction, and change our drug laws. While these things won’t remove all problems, the evidence is clear that it would reduce the worst harms and provide us with more tools to tackle the increase in harm. But if we continue doing more of the same, things will continue to get worse,” says Helm.
Helm says the Drug Foundation’s report Safer Drug Laws for Aotearoa NZ provides a template for reform. (ref. https://drugfoundation.org.nz/topics/policy-and-advocacy/safer-drug-laws )
