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Methamphetamine is cheaper, cocaine is easier to find and more commonly used, and psychedelics are also more widely available, according to the results of the latest NZ Drugs Trends Survey.
Massey University professor Chris Wilkins says cheap meth is a “sign of a saturated methamphetamine market in New Zealand” and said it was consistent with reports of new international supply lines.
P has reportedly been increasingly sourced from North and South America, with Mexican cartels selling it for less than a third of the price offered by established Asian producers, Wilkins said.
The increase in cocaine availability likely reflected a global glut in coca production and attempts by organised criminals to diversify their markets, Wilkins said.
P has reportedly been increasingly sourced from North and South America, with Mexican cartels selling it for less than a third of the price offered by established Asian producers. Photo / File
The increase in availability of psychedelics could be credited to new supply sources, particularly on social media and darknet websites, Wilkins said. An interest in the therapeutic use of psychedelics could be driving the reported rise in consumption, he said.
Policy changes affecting psychedelic drugs such as LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) in Australia and the United States were also noted in the survey.
Wilkins said: “There is some evidence that psychedelics can help with certain mental health conditions, including treatment-resistant depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and in some cases treatment of chronic pain and drug dependency.
“Policy reforms have sought to facilitate these therapeutic uses and support additional research by allowing use in therapeutic contexts under supervision, and the decriminalisation of small amounts for personal use.”
Dr Chris Wilkins is a drug policy researcher at Massey University. Photo / Doug Sherring
The New Zealand Drugs Trends Survey (NZDTS) has been done each year since 2017. It is based on anonymous online reports of more than 10,000 respondents.
Wilkins said there were record-low prices for grams of meth in Auckland, Bay of Plenty and Waikato.
Cocaine availability was particularly high in Auckland, Northland, Waikato, Taranaki and Bay of Plenty. Consumption increased in every region of the country.
“While the use and availability of cocaine have noticeably increased in 2024, likely reflecting a global glut in coca production and attempts by organised crime groups to diversify markets, use in New Zealand remains fairly infrequent and prices have not declined to stimulate wider consumption,” Wilkins said.
Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.
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