If you're a finely tuned athletic specimen who is unlucky enough to get caught using human growth hormone peptides in Oceania, chances are you're a horse.

In a month-long project, reporter Steve Deane took peptides to measure their effect on his athletic performance. Here's part two of his diary.

New Zealand's weak laws surrounding the importation and possession of performance-enhancing drugs may contravene obligations under a global treaty.

A Whangarei man says smoking synthetic cannabis caused seizures that led to his losing his job and left him unable to drive for 12 months.

Herald reporter Steve Deane put his body on the line to find out how easy peptides are to obtain and their effect on sporting performance.

Powerful new-generation, performance-enhancing drugs are flowing into the country largely unchecked, a Herald investigation has found.

My legs feel like overcooked noodles as I wobble my way down the stairs of a North Shore gym following my first workout.

Powerful new-generation, performance-enhancing drugs are flowing into the country largely unchecked, a Herald investigation has found. Substances such as growth hormone peptides - the use of which is reportedly rife in Australian sport - can be bought online for as little as $30 and received within days. An investigation into the issue by Drug Free Sport NZ, High Performance Sport NZ and Sport NZ is about to report to Sport Minister Murray McCully that there is no evidence this country has a drug problem similar to that unearthed by the Australian Crime Commission in February.

Not one cent of the millions of dollars worth of assets seized from criminals has been funnelled into drug treatment or resources to fight organised crime as promised when the enabling law came into force.

A Dunedin father says he was tossed around his house "like paper" by his son trying to go cold turkey from the synthetic cannabis product, K2.

A criminal lawyer has written to the Health Minister asking him to ban synthetic cannabis products immediately, saying they are just as dangerous as methamphetamine.

A machete, mallet and large wooden sticks were seized from dairy owners arming themselves against robbers targeting synthetic cannabis, Dunedin police allege.

The fight against the sale of synthetic cannabis in Gisborne has stepped up with the support of community leaders.

The Snoop Lion 420 Festival which was planned at the star's Hollywood Hills mansion to mark 'cannabis day' has been shut down by police.

Television presenter Phillip Schofield has admitted he was "bad at taking drugs" and once took a pair of German prostitutes for lunch instead of watching the Berlin Wall being brought down.

Culturally important substances such as kava could be captured by a law change which aims to stamp out harmful synthetic drugs, MPs have told Parliament.

A 3-month-old baby was the youngest of 17 children found by police living in unsafe drug houses during the annual cannabis blitz.

More than 100 people entered a Tauranga store to buy the controversial synthetic cannabis Kryptonite yesterday morning.

Two teenagers say a new legal high they smoked contained ecstasy - and left them vomiting with no control over their muscles or bodily functions.

The Associate Health Minister is urging retailers to stop selling synthetic drugs causing harm across the country.

A hidden camera caught more than 3500 cars or people visiting the fortified home of a major methamphetamine supplier who lived across the road from a school.

All Black coaching staff were shocked by the "inappropriate" antics of some heavy-drinking players while they were on tour.