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RNZ News
11 hours ago
- Health
- RNZ News
Call for more medical access to commonly used illicit drugs
Prescription psilocybin, the hallucinogenic compound found in magic mushrooms, will become available to treat prescription-resistant depression. Photo: Pixabay The Drug Foundation wants more medical access to some of the most commonly used illicit drugs. It comes after the government announced prescription psilocybin , the hallucinogenic compound found in magic mushrooms, will become available to treat prescription-resistant depression. The Drug Foundation's annual report found psychedelic drug use has more than doubled in New Zealand, with 3.1 percent of adults reported taking psychedelics like LSD, psilocybin and ketamine in 2023 and 2024, compared to 1.3 percent in 2017 and 2018. It said cannabis, MDMA, and psychedelics rank down the lower end of the potential harm spectrum, and have well-documented medical uses. The Drug Foundation's executive director Sarah Helm said some people are self-medicating with such drugs, and are being criminalised by not being allowed to access them legally. "Many of our most popular illicit substances have well-documented medicinal uses and are being actively studied for their potential to treat a range of health conditions, so it's likely at least some of the use in this report is self-medication," Helm said. "We think it's time to enable more medical access to the likes of psychedelics and MDMA and stop prosecuting people who use them." In Australia, MDMA, known as ecstasy in tablet form, is being used to help treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While earlier this year, a clinical study using mushrooms containing psilocybin to treat methamphetamine addiction completed its first phase of trials. "Criminalising anyone doesn't really help, whether the substance use is problematic or therapeutic," Helm told Morning Report. " Certainly, they [psychedelics] have been stigmatised and that's prevented access." NZ Drug Foundation executive director Sarah Helm. Photo: Supplied/ NZ Drug Foundation The release of these numbers coincides with Associate Health Minister David Seymour's announcement that psilocybin would be legally available in New Zealand outside of trials for the first time. It brings New Zealand in line with Australia, which has been using psilocybin to treat depression since 2023 . Seymour said it would initially only be available from one specific psychiatrist, but he hoped more would apply. The psychiatrist, Ōtautahi -based Dr Cameron Lacey, who was also behind the first clinical trials of psilocybin, said about two thirds of people who participated in clinical trials saw substantial improvements in their depression. "It's truly providing remarkable results and it's really exciting to see a treatment that is providing real benefit for people who typically, at that point in their treatment journey, had a really long road and low improvement from standard treatments," Dr Lacey told Morning Report. Dr Cameron Lacey. Photo: Supplied The therapy involves months of psychotherapy and one or two eight-hour psilocybin sessions or 'doses' accompanied by clinical professionals. Most of the studies have involved one or two doses integrated with a course of psychotherapy. For some, just one treatment can be sufficient . "The most important thing that we need to work on next is making sure this treatment is available to all who need it," Dr Lacy said. Helm said the announcement that the magic mushroom drug psilocybin will be available for some patients is good news, but better access is needed. "We do need to see a broader range of clinicians making it available, otherwise people do turn to self-administration. It's happens in the cannabis field, as well. It is about balancing," Helm said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
a day ago
- Health
- Scoop
New Drug Report Shows Record Need For Harm Reduction And Support Services
A new report that pulls together the most recent data on drug consumption, prevalence of use, price and availability shows illicit drug use continues to steadily increase across the board, with the NZ Drug Foundation warning that investment in harm reduction, early intervention and support hasn't kept pace. The Foundation's latest annual Drug use in Aotearoa report for 2023/24 shows sharp increases in methamphetamine and cocaine consumption, and an uptick in frequency of use. Drug Foundation Executive Director Sarah Helm says the report underlines the need for greater investment in harm reduction and support services. 'This report shows there is more need than ever for accessible harm reduction information and early intervention so that we can help people prevent issues before they arise,' she says. 'The sharp increase in cocaine and methamphetamine use has happened against the backdrop of long-term under-investment in addiction services and the sector is now under intense strain. We urgently need to turn that around.' While New Zealand has historically seen low levels of cocaine use, consumption increased 229% in 2024 compared with the previous three years' average. Methamphetamine use increased 74% over the same period. Helm says the report also shows that people are using cocaine and methamphetamine more often. 'Information from the NZ Drug Trends Survey shows that of people who used cocaine, 29% reported using it monthly or more often in 2024, compared with 22% in 2017/18,' she says. 'Worryingly, 29% of people who used methamphetamine in the past six months reported using it daily or near daily in 2024, up from only 19% in 2022/23.' 'This increase in the proportion of people using methamphetamine daily or near daily is concerning, and suggests we will see a significant uptick in people with substance use disorder,' says Helm. 'Unfortunately, the support systems we have were already strained before these latest increases in problematic use.' Cannabis, MDMA and psychedelics were the most commonly used illicit drugs in New Zealand, which Helm says all rank down the lower end of potential for harm. 'Many of our most popular illicit substances have well-documented medicinal uses and are being actively studied for their potential to treat a range of health conditions, so it's likely at least some of the use in this report is self-medication,' she says. "We think it's time to enable more medical access to the likes of psychedelics and MDMA and stop prosecuting people who use them.' Helm says the big increases in cocaine and methamphetamine use demonstrate the folly of New Zealand's 50-year-old drug laws. 'Our current system feels like we have control, but the data shows it's quite the opposite. This report shows methamphetamine and cocaine use has surged despite record-breaking drug busts and seizures, and anecdotally we are hearing about increased harm as a result.' 'Under our current laws we have relinquished almost all control to the global black market, which in recent years has sold record-breaking amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine into the country.' Key findings: Methamphetamine Nationwide, consumption doubled in the second half of 2024 (compared to the first half of the year) 29% of people who use methamphetamine reported using it daily or near daily in 2024, up from 19% in 2022/23 Cocaine Consumption more than tripled in 2024 compared to the previous three years' average (although this was off a low base) 2.4% of adults reported using cocaine at least once in the past year in 2023/24, compared with 1.3% in 2022/23 Cocaine use is much more common among men (3.6%) than among women (1.3%) MDMA 4.8% of adults reported using MDMA at least once in the past year in 2023/24, compared with 3.6% in 2022/23 Young people are more likely to use MDMA than older New Zealanders. 10.5% of people aged 15-24 reported using MDMA at least once in the past year in 2023/24, compared with 8.2% in 2022/23 Psychedelics 3.1% of adults reported using psychedelics at least once in the past year in 2023/24, compared with 1.3% in 2017/18 62% of psychedelic consumers reported that LSD is 'easy' or 'very easy' to obtain in 2024, compared with 44% in 2017/18.
Scoop
18-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Bold Demand-Side Action Required In Face Of Methamphetamine Surge
New Zealand must invest in bold action to reduce demand for methamphetamine in the face of a recent surge in consumption, the NZ Drug Foundation says. Wastewater testing data shows that methamphetamine consumption has doubled in the last year, with acute social and health impacts being reported in areas with the highest rates of use. Drug Foundation Executive Director Sarah Helm says being overly reliant on supply-side interventions like seizures and drug busts won't shift the dial and that seriously addressing demand is the only way to solve the issue. 'We've seen a doubling of methamphetamine use in spite of record-breaking seizures by Police and Customs,' she says. 'If we don't address demand and addiction, supply-side measures are short-lived, because as one supply source is removed another supplier steps in to meet the demand. We need to be bold and get serious about reducing demand, preventing harm and making addiction treatment much more accessible to people.' Helm says there are a range of proven and emerging interventions that the Foundation and the sector are urging the government to adopt, including: A rapid escalation of addiction treatment, including investment in accessible community-based, peer-led groups Revamping and expanding proven health-based responses like Te Ara Oranga A campaign that reduces stigma and encourages people to have conversations about their use with loved ones and to access help Ramping up prevention by tackling unmet health needs by: --offering better support and treatment for people who use methamphetamine and have ADHD (one Australian study showed 45% of people who use illicit stimulants regularly screened positive for ADHD) --investigating medication-assisted treatment options for people with methamphetamine dependence Increasing harm reduction service availability, for example access to sterile injecting equipment to prevent communicable disease impacts More kaupapa Māori-driven health responses Helm says that she's optimistic about progress, especially as Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey has experience in the addictions sector and understands the issues. 'We've had many years of inaction on drug issues, but we have had very positive engagement with the Minister, including at a summit with almost 200 people from across the sector who offered up advice on how to tackle the serious challenges we are facing, so we are hopeful for progress,' she says. Helm also acknowledges that demand reduction measures on their own risk being band aids without addressing the underlying social and economic drivers of methamphetamine use. 'Ultimately, this issue is bigger than any one sector or government portfolio and there are no quick fixes, but that doesn't need we shouldn't start doing what we know will work.' Methamphetamine consumption (mg/day/1000 population) 2019- 2024 Using Scoop for work? Scoop is free for personal use, but you'll need a licence for work use. This is part of our Ethical Paywall and how we fund Scoop. Join today with plans starting from less than $3 per week, plus gain access to exclusive Pro features. Join Pro Individual Find out more
