Waipukurau is the meth capital of New Zealand, use surges 333 per cent
Police urge community support as Waipukurau records NZ's highest meth spike in 2024
Central Hawke's Bay, the town of Waipukurau, is grappling with a 333 per cent spike in methamphetamine consumption in 2024 compared to the previous year, marking the highest increase nationwide.
This surge was uncovered through wastewater testing, a method that detects drug residues in sewage, providing a snapshot of community drug use. In Waipukurau, meth consumption escalated from 1.1 grams to over 4.8 grams per day per 1,000 people.
Detective Inspector Martin James expressed, "One of the key concerns for me here in Central Hawke's Bay is a lack of information that is coming through from the public to support us. There will be people within this community who know who are supplying this drug, this heinous drug, and we need them to come forward." This increase in meth use hasn't coincided with a rise in other crimes. James noted, "So we haven't seen a significant increase in crime in Central Hawke's Bay, but for us that's not the point." Mayor Alex Walker highlighted the broader challenges facing the community: "We're seeing lots of pressure on the community, pressures on families. The cost of living is really causing some struggles, and that is putting a lot of pressure on our families."
She acknowledged the presence of meth in the community, stating, "There is no denying that we definitely do have methamphetamine circulating in our community. The fact that it's rising says that we have to pay attention to this because this could escalate into something far bigger."A significant setback occurred in late 2023 when funding was lost for Herenga Whānau Ora, a program aiding individuals struggling with meth addiction. Mayor Walker said, "Unfortunately, that was really starting to have an impact." She urged the government to provide necessary support, "Just because we're small and a small population doesn't mean that we're immune from the really big issues, and we need that support on the ground to help us to help our community as we are fronting up to this issue. We desperately need their support for us to be able to tackle it. A one-off trip to a counsellor does not fix a methamphetamine addiction."Nationally, methamphetamine consumption nearly doubled, rising from 732kg in 2023 to 1,434kg in 2024. Other North Island towns also saw significant increases: Huntly (41 percent), Tokoroa (61 percent), Levin (90 percent), and South Auckland (98 percent).The wastewater testing doesn't specify whether more individuals are using meth or if existing users are consuming larger quantities. However, the data underscores a pressing need for community engagement and comprehensive support systems to address this escalating issue.
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