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Through the maze - healthy drug law reform

The Law Commission's review of the Misuse of Drugs Act cannot come soon enough. The Drug Foundation has some ideas about how a new Act shoul......

There’s something wrong with the sentences

Under the irrelevant and outdated Misuse of Drugs Act, cannabis penalties and convictions in New Zealand remain inconsistent, disproportiona......

Drug Law Reform

The Misuse of Drugs Act is outdated. It is time for modern drug law fit for the the 21st Century. The Drug Foundation is working for change....

Shifting to healthy drug law by 2020: 2017 Speaker and Soup

Following our July symposium, we’re keeping up the momentum with a new Speaker and Soup series to show people what Whakawātea te Huarahi is ......

Viewpoints: Should New Zealand introduce drug courts?

Drug courts are effective in helping offenders face up to their addictions and get the help they need. Or are they just an expensive waste o......

Opinion: A brave, new drug policy

The National Drug Policy 2015-2020 is finally out. How does it stack up? Drug Foundation Principal Policy Advisor Andrew Zielinski looks at ......

Model Drug Law to 2020

The Drug Foundation is calling for a complete overhaul of our drug laws. A new model drug law sets out our thinking....

Viewpoints: Looking back to 1975 law reform

Four decades ago, the Bill that would become the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 was making its way through Parliament. Politicians, experts, comme......

Opinion - Politicians need courage to achieve drug law reform

The Law Commission’s report on drug law reform is timely, smart and welcome. Now our politicians need the courage to respond....

Why sensible suggestions on drug law should not be ignored

The government’s initial response to the Law Commission’s report on drug law reform is disappointing. Minister of Justice Simon Power’s decl......

Modernising New Zealand’s drug law

New Zealand’s drug law has been rejected as obsolete and out-of-touch by the Law Commission in its review - Controlling and Regulating Drugs......

Treatment smartest option for drug offenders

The New Zealand government could save millions of dollars by diverting New Zealanders with drug problems out of the court system and into th......

Communities need to re-think drug attitudes

Not my family, and never my child. Tony Trimingham says that, like most people, he knew little about drug-taking and thought it wasn't somet......

What alternative to the War on Drugs?

Drug control in the form of prohibition or a ‘War on Drugs’ has been a spectacular failure, a visiting American expert told a symposium in W......

Drug policy symposium an unprecedented event

Organisers are calling this week’s Healthy Drug Law Symposium the most significant drug policy discussion in New Zealand’s history....

Drug Foundation impressed by revision of drug law

The Drug Foundation is extremely pleased with the Government’s announcement today of a complete review of the Misuse of Drugs Act....

Replace drug convictions with health referrals: Drug Foundation launches new model drug law

We're proposing a complete overhaul of New Zealand's drug laws. This is a start....

Government’s medical cannabis bill will address current barriers

The Drug Foundation welcomed the government’s announcement to establish a government-run medical cannabis scheme as part of its First 100 Da......

Download our report into the misuse of prescription medications

This recent exploratory research showed 30% of surveyed students had used prescription drugs in a recreational manner....

Opinion: A nation in denial?

It’s coming on Christmas, and with it, will come the usual increase in alcohol and other substance-induced family violence. Being good Kiwis......

Opinion - Synthetic cannabis

It’s a glaring and obvious anomaly that substances like cannabis are illegal in New Zealand while “synthetic cannabis” – that has much the s......

Has NZ’s drug law passed its use by date?

A lot can happen in 40 years. The changes we’ve witnessed in Kiwi society are profound. Yet the Misuse of Drugs Act (1975) is essentially th......

The cost of convicting young people

Our criminal justice approach under the Misuse of Drugs Act comes at a high cost to all involved, even just in terms of wasted tax dollars, ......

2009 Through the maze: healthy drug law, international drug policy symposium

The Through the Maze: Healthy Drug Law symposium was held in Wellington to discuss a number of drug-related local issues, including the revi......

It’s going to take more than silver linings...

Hearing about these new pockets of humanity and hope in our justice system is refreshing. What a difference it makes when people care about ......

Methamphetamine in NZ

Understanding the basic facts about methamphetamine is vital as respond to problematic use....

Majority backs cannabis law change

A majority of the public favours a change to the legal status of cannabis according to a new poll commissioned by the NZ Drug Foundation....

Show me the money!

Whether we’re treating drug issues in the health sector or enforcing the Misuse of Drugs Act in the law enforcement and justice sector, addr......

About a drug: Khat

Across the Horn of Africa, there is a scraggly plant that grows in the dry hillsides and sandy rocky soils. Its small green leaves and avera......

The drug classification alphabet

An un-evidence-based mess...

Dunne slays party pill hydra

New regulations for synthetic drugs announced today will help move New Zealand’s obsolete drug law into the 21st century the New Zealand Dru......

It’s about more than a referendum

A shift to a health-focused way of dealing with drugs in New Zealand is expected to accelerate under the new Labour-led government....

Party pill marketing branded irresponsible

The Drug Foundation today called for a halt to all advertising of party pills, saying that the practice of marketing social drugs may contri......

Drug Foundation to host David Nutt in Wellington

The New Zealand Drug Foundation is hosting Professor David Nutt for a lunchtime presentation on ‘Drugs without the hot air: minimising the h......

Drug Foundation urges moratorium and independent analysis of new party pills

On the eve of the BZP party pill ban, the New Zealand Drug Foundation has called for a voluntary moratorium on sales of all new non-BZP part......

Drug law enforcement discriminates against Māori

Māori are significantly more likely to be arrested and convicted for cannabis offences because drug laws are enforced in a discriminatory wa......

Practicing a public health approach to drugs: 2016 Speaker and Soup season

In 2016 we are finally seeing signs that public health, social support and drug policy do mix....

Review of Drug Utensils Regulation - submit now!

The Ministry of Health has recently taken an important initial step in addressing one of five priority areas of the National Drug Policy (ND......

Not what the doctor ordered

A full understanding of the seriousness of our prescription drug misuse problem is only now beginning to emerge. It seems the 'drug seeker' ......

Drug Foundation supports Minister's drug policy process

The Drug Foundation welcomed drug policy minister Jim Anderton’s announcement today to consult with the wider community before changing the ......

Mythbusters: Drinking like the French

The fact that the French encourage their kids to drink wine has led to a rosy utopia of sensible alcohol consumption. We read that on the In......

Drug law reform needed to end Māori over-incarceration, says Drug Foundation

The government must urgently act to end the persistent failure by the criminal justice system to address disproportionate Māori reoffending ......

Drug Foundation launches Volatile Substance Guide for Retailers

The New Zealand Drug Foundation today launched a guide for retailers on managing the sale of volatile substances....

Drug treatment policy often misguided says criminology professor

Overcoming problem drug use has much more to do with addressing socio-economic factors than physiological or psychological addiction, a Drug......

Ross Bell: Let's face up to our drinking problem

New Zealand has always prided itself on punching above its weight. Our sporting heroes succeed despite limited resources and the small popul......

Astonishing results from free testing of illicit drugs at festivals

Many festival-goers take drugs. But last summer, a significant number decided against it after being told the drug they were about to take w......

Drug Policy Briefing to the Incoming Parliament 2014

The Briefing to the Incoming Parliament (BIP), a policy brief prepared by the Drug Foundation for all parliamentarians, was publicly release......

Harsh cannabis laws defy good sense

Drug legislation and policy tend to focus too much on enforcement and tough-talk and too little on evidence about what really works, a visit......

Experts to debate New Zealand drug laws

Drug policy makers, health professionals and politicians meet in Wellington next week to discuss the future of New Zealand's drug laws and p......

LSD: New Zealand’s LSD history

Redmer Yska tells how LSD rose, fell and is maybe rising again for both recreational and therapeutic uses....

10,000/1,500/15 Breaking the silence on responsible drug use

It’s time for responsible users to speak up and be part of the drugs conversation, argues Stuart McMillen. Only then can the world begin to ......

Drug policy talk at Q Station, Sydney

Being sequestered at an abandoned quarantine station in Manly provided the perfect location for some deep thinking about drug policy researc......

2015 in review

At the 2015 Annual General Meeting we looked back at the Drug Foundation’s work over the last twelve months, and ahead to the big challenges......

Getting the facts out is overdue

The tragic deaths in Auckland that were likely caused by new synthetic drugs is a wake up call....

Unequal treatment before the law

Kelly van Gaalen is a stand-up New Zealander 
– a real good sort. Right now though, she’s in prison....

About a drug: Mescaline

Mescaline is an alkaloid that causes hallucinogenic effects similar to those of LSD and psilocybin (magic mushrooms). It occurs naturally in......

Viewpoints: Is it okay for NZ Police to interpret drug laws

The majority of New Zealanders support change to our cannabis laws, but the political appetite for this is low. Meanwhile, a drop in Police ......

Mythbusters: One addiction at a time?

Who says people undergoing addiction treatment can't give up smoking at the same time? Mythbusters reveal new evidence and research challeng......

It’s not about the drugs

A new report has reignited the call for an even hand in the policing of drugs, citing figures that show the glare of police scrutiny is disp......

Mythbusters: Ketamine: not just for horses, also for badgers

The media's delight in describing ketamine as a horse tranquiliser is doing nothing to help convey a clear understanding of relative drug ha......

About a drug: Alpha-PVP

Alpha-pyrrolidinovalerophenone - also known as alpha-PVP, gravel, flakka or niff - is one of a number of recreational drugs in the 'bath sal......

About a drug: GHB

Gamma-Hydroxybutyric Acid is used by ravers and gym-goers alike, but how dangerous is it?...

Viewpoints: Should cannabis be on WADA's banned substances list?

In our second segment looking objectively at both sides of a contentious issue, we consider whether dope-smoking athletes should be diciplin......

Price matters – Why the Government should reconsider its stance on raising alcohol excise tax

In light of the industry’s ongoing brazen attempts to seduce and recruit new generations of drinkers with pocket-money priced booze, our Gov......

Mythbusters: How attractive is the Swedish model?

A 'drug-free society' is an attractive proposition, and one pursued with vigor under Sweden's drug policy. Mythbusters sizes up the model to......

About a drug: Methamphetamine

Amphetamine, meth’s parent drug, was first synthesised in Berlin in 1887 by Romanian chemist Lazâr Edeleanu, but its potency as a central ne......

Opinion: Don't freak out over changing drug laws

Kiwis should have another look at their drug laws, writes Ross Bell, Drug Foundation executive director...

About a drug: LSD

Lysergic acid diethylamide (or LSD) has many street names including yellow sunshine, window pane and Microdot but it is most commonly known ......

Taking a reading of the pills

Journalist Russell Brown talks with those behind free drug checking, whose job is made all the more difficult for having to operate under th......

Don't hesitate

Why do some people hesitate to call for help in a life-and-death situation? Elle Hunt investigates emergency responses to overdoses in New Z......

Catching up with reality

world of psychiatric diagnosis with the impending launch of the DSM-V. Will the omissions, inclusions and changes spell a radical shift for ......

Fixing the cost of alcohol

Will a minimum alcohol floor price, as recommended by the Law Commission, help make a dent in New Zealand’s binge drinking culture? Catherin......

No time for alcohol law reform delays

The Justice and Electoral Select Committee is still deliberating on the Alcohol Reform Bill. They say it’s proving and enormous challenge an......

Moving to a healthy drug law by 2020

NZ Drug Foundation has developed a new model drug law based on evidence and experience. We believe it makes a lot of sense and would go a lo......

Māori MPs reconsider drug law

A succession of reports show that Māori are affected significantly more than Pākehā by our drug laws. Russell Brown looks into the issues an......

Good booze news from across the ditch

In late November 2014, the Australian Government’s Institute of Health and Welfare released its full report on the 2013 Australian National ......

History never repeats

New Zealand’s history of drugs and the laws to control them....

Drug history: James K Baxter: poetry and political influence

You may know Hemi Baxter as one of our finest poets, but did you also know that he helped shape our current drug law?...

P: New Zealand’s P history

Redmer Yska traces the development of amphetamine manufacture and its history of use in New Zealand...

Into my arms: Injecting drug use in New Zealand

Chris Wilkins and Charles Henderson compare findings on injecting drug use behaviour from the Illicit Drug Monitoring System and Needle Exch......

About a drug: Heroin

The most infamous member of the opiod family....

Psychoactive Substances Act 101

A world-leading piece of legislation has been passed in New Zealand to regulate new psychoactive substances. What is it all about, how does ......

Knowledge of and attitudes to illegal drugs

Last year, the Ministry of Health published a report on what kiwis know and think about illegal drugs. Not all the findings were predictable......

Viewpoints: The Brownfield Doctrine

With global drug policy coming under the spotlight in the lead up the UNGASS 2016, we take a look one part of a playing field on the move....

Playing Russian roulette

Seems the inventor of the psychoactive chemicals found in synthetic cannabis products has little nice to say about the profiteering purveyor......

Synthetic solutions: the global response to ‘legal’ highs

In country after country a vast array of new psychoactive substances, rapidly spread via online sources, is causing havoc for law and policy......

Untouchable?

Thirty-seven years into the War on Drugs, the 2012 United Nations World Drug Report says the rate of reported cannabis use in Oceania (essen......

Underdosing naloxone

Globally, an estimated 69,000 people die each year from opioid overdose. The drug naloxone can quickly block opioid receptors in the brain a......

How well are pre-charge warnings working?

Pre-charge warnings have quietly become a valuable new tool in the policing tool box and an effective way of getting minor crime out of an o......

War and Drugs

Today, more than ever, armies around the world are dealing with serious substance abuse problems and the mental health issues that result. N......

UNGASS 2016: What prospect for change?

The NGOs closest to the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on the world drug problem in April aren't expecting dramati......

Our ‘psycho’ psychoactive substances legislation

New Zealand’s Psychoactive Substances Act has been described as world leading and incredibly innovative. But during 2014, public moral apopl......

If it’s not true to label, then what are people taking?

With the summer festival circuit over for another year, some people will be looking back on a close shave they had as a result of using drug......

Drug law reform - A global snapshot

In light of the Law Commission's review Sanji Gunasekara looks at recent efforts in other jurisdictions to reform drug law....

Taking the pulse of Māori public health

Restoring equality and addressing health outcomes for Māori come with many challenges. Matt Calman talks with four figures from the sector a......

Clearing the smoke

Cannabis is now widely accepted as a medical treatment, but does it have the evidential backing of other medicines? From herbal remedies to ......

A court that heals

Offenders opting to come under New Zealand’s first Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Court choose a stretch of healing, rather than jail time......

Sport under the influence

Alcohol industry sponsorship has been a goldmine for sport in New Zealand, so much so that many clubs say they couldn't survive without it. ......

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Information & Advice

All substance use brings a risk of harm. Be informed about your drug use....