drug information

Viewpoints

Viewpoints, a regular feature in our Matters of Substance quarterly magazine, looks objectively at both sides of a contentious issue. You decide.

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  1. Should unregistered naltrexone implants be used to treat opioid dependence?

    Thousands of Australians have been implanted with sustained-released naltrexone in an effort to help them overcome opiate addiction. Theoretically, it makes sense: block the body from experiencing the effects of opiates. But there are problems. Naltrexone is still being tested and is unregulated. It’s a controversial situation, but given the extreme circumstances so often faced by those with an opiate addiction, is the potential return worth the risk?

  2. Should cannabis be on WADA's banned substances list?

    Cannabis has been on the World Anti Doping Agency's (WADA's) list of substances since 2004. Despite recieving pressure from various quarters to remove it, WADA's Executive Committee has approved a new version of the list for 2011, with cannabis still included.

    In this addition of Viewpoints we provide the arguments for and against keeping cannabis as a banned substance for sportspeople.

  3. Should ibogaine be an approved drug treatment?

    Ibogaine is a naturally occurring alkaloid of the Tabernanthe iboga plant, which is native to West Central Africa. It ’s a powerful psychedelic that has been used medicinally and in religious ceremonies for centuries.

  4. Should New Zealand introduce drug courts?

    As part of its review of New Zealand’s Misuse of Drugs Act, the Law Commission has recommended drug courts be trialled in New Zealand.

  5. Should Māori wardens have special powers to remove drunk Māori from bars?

    The Mäori Community Development Act 1962 gives Mäori wardens the power to tell bar staff to “abstain from selling or supplying liquor to any Mäori who in the opinion of the warden is in a state of intoxication, or is violent, quarrelsome, or disorderly, or is likely to become so, whether intoxicated or not”. It also allows them to remove the person from licensed premises and even to confiscate their car keys.

  6. Should needle exchange programmes be introduced into prisons?

    Australia’s ACT government caused a stir recently when it announced plans to introduce prison needle exchange programmes (NSPs) giving prisoners clean needles for personal drug use. It’s already being done in Spain, Germany and some other European countries.

  7. Should you give your teenager alcohol?

    As a parent, the responsibility for managing your teenager’s drinking lies solely on you – as both an authority figure and a role model. But at what age do you allow your teenagers alcohol? Should you try to keep them completely safe by enforcing absolute abstinence until they’re 18, or do you slowly ease them into drinking as they approach their late teens?

  8. Should we allow electronic cigarettes in New Zealand?

    Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigs, are a relatively new technology. They’re designed to look like ordinary cigarettes and they closely mimic the tobacco-smoking experience.

    A battery in the device heats a solution of water and nicotine into vapour. The user inhales the vapour, which recreates all the aesthetic sensations of smoking, including taste, feel and exhalation.

  9. Should we roadside saliva test for cannabis?

    Cannabis is New Zealand’s most widely used illicit drug. There are many myths about how safe it is to drive after smoking it. It does cause impairment, but traces of cannabis remain even after impairment stops. Current technology may not be sophisticated enough to tell the difference. Should we roadside saliva test for cannabis in the hope it will reduce harm, or do we hold off until we’re certain of the technology?

  10. Liquor licensing exemptions for Police bars

    The current Sale of Liquor Act exempts Parliament and the canteens of Police, prison officers, the Defence Force and the Fire Service from the requirement to hold a licence to sell and supply alcohol.