Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 


Ecstasy market expands according to drug report

Thursday, 8 September 2011, 9:10 am
Press Release: Massey University

Ecstasy market expands according to drug report


The use and availability of ecstasy in New Zealand continues to increase, though the spread of the drug is more ethnically diverse according to a report compiled by researchers examining recent trends in illegal drug use over the past five years.


The 2010 Illicit Drug Monitoring System (IDMS) report, prepared by researchers at the SHORE and Whariki Research Centre which is part of Massey University’s School of Public Health, also showed some evidence of a drop in methamphetamine use as well as a continued decline in BZP (formerly the active ingredient in party pills) since its ban in 2008.


Lead researcher Dr Chris Wilkins says 411 frequent illegal drug users from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch were asked late last year about recent trends in the use, availability, price and potency of a number of key illegal drug types and about any new drugs they had come across in the previous six months.


He identified a drop in the number of European New Zealanders using ecstasy, with the proportion of this ethnic group using the illegal drug falling from 96 per cent in 1996 to 78 per cent last year. The drug’s price per pill was also down falling in the 12 months to last December from $55 to $47. Its easier availability in Auckland was reflected in a price fall from $50 to $41 over the same period while its price held at $55 in the other two main centres.


Dr Wilkins also detected a fall in the use of crystal methamphetamine (also known as ice) by frequent users speculating that its decline in usage from 64 per cent in 2007 to 23 per cent last year may be attributable to increased border security impacting on supply.


This trend was also reflected in a decline in methamphetamine use by ecstasy users from 23 per cent in 2007 to 8 per cent last year.


“The decrease in methamphetamine use among frequent ecstasy users may reflect the decline in the reputation of methamphetamine as an acceptable recreational drug among this group due to methamphetamine’s strong association with drug addiction, mental illness and high levels of drug related harm.”


Dr Wilkins says there appeared to have been little improvement in the levels of users driving under the influence of drugs other than alcohol, with 88 per cent of methamphetamine users, 86 per cent of those frequently injecting themselves with drugs and 53 per cent of frequent ecstasy users admitting to such driving behaviour.


The synthetic cannabis Kronic, which was banned last month after an amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Act, was among the newer drugs most commonly used by respondents to the report.

ends

 
 
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines

NEW ZEALAND POLITICS > >


 

Labour refers Liu case to Auditor-General

Labour Leader David Shearer has sent a letter to the Auditor-General asking her to investigate the decision-making process around the case involving Chinese businessman Bill Liu. More>>

Also:


Waikato-Tainui Celebrates End of Lock-Out

Tom Roa, Chair of Te Arataura, Waikato Tainui’s executive has welcomed news that the ten week lock-out of Horotiu workers is drawing to a dramatic close.
“We are all extremely pleased to see this day finally arrive,” said Tom Roa. More>>

Also:

Meridian dumps West Coast hydro plan

(Image: blog.greens.org.nz by Q)

May 22 (BusinessDesk) - Opposition to Meridian Energy's plans for a 100 Megawatt hydro-electric scheme on the undammed Mokihinui River on the South Island's West Coast has forced its abandonment, the state-owned power company has announced. More >>

Fisheries: Slave Labour And Foreign Vessels
The Government has announced it is to require reflagging of foreign-owned fishing vessels operating in New Zealand waters to address labour, safety and fisheries practice concerns. More >>

Also


Budget 2012: Crime And Punishment
Budget 2012 will contribute to a 25 per cent reduction in reoffending by 2017, and 18,500 fewer victims of crime every year from 2017, Corrections Minister Anne Tolley and Associate Corrections Minister Dr Pita Sharples say. More >>

Also:


Elections: Time Running Out to Take Part in Electoral Commission’s MMP Review

Time is running out to have your say on improvements you’d like to see made to our MMP voting system. With only two weeks to go until the first consultation period of the MMP Review closes, the Electoral Commission has received more than 3700 submissions ... More >>


Christchurch: More Green Zoning And More Red Zoning

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced the final decision in almost 11 months of flat land residential zoning in Canterbury…

“It brings the number of residential properties zoned red because they are unsuitable for residential occupation to 7256.” More >>

Gerry Brownlee also announced the green zoning of 421 residential properties in the Port Hills, leaving 1679 houses still under review. More>>

ALSO:


Budget 2012: Squeezing Every Drop Out Of A Zero Budget
The Government is trying to squeeze every drop of publicity out of its ``Zero Budget’’ ahead of its delivery next Thursday.More >>

Gordon Campbell On the Politics of Austerity: Later this month, New Zealand will be subjected to its second austerity Budget in a row. Zero budgeting is being presented as the only path of virtue. This is despite the fact that - elsewhere in the real world - it has been a very bad week indeed for the politics of austerity.More >>
Also

  • Business.Desk - Smokes, booze and property tax breaks prime targets for Budget
  • Labour - User Pays Plan Confirms Failure
  • Labour - Cuts to classes result of government failure
  • ACT - Performance Based Pay for Teachers Long Overdue

  • Budget 2012: Recovery of Canterbury on Track
  • Budget 2012 - Prescription Charges Help Fund Health
  • Budget 2012: Education – Larger Classes For More Money
  • Budget 2012: $144m more for disability support

    • Housing: Social Housing Money Handed Out
    People in need will get the most benefit from Government funding for new housing projects, to be developed by non-government providers. Housing Minister Phil Heatley has announced the successful applicants to the $25.3 million Social Housing Unit ... More >>

    ALSO:

    Iti Jailed In Operation 8 Case
    October 15th Solidarity Group on Sentencing -The sentences of 2.5 years for Taame Iti and Rangi Kemara are manifestly unjust. This is an outrage. The sentences of Urs Signer and Emily Bailey are equally absurd. The judge sought to retry the entire case at sentencing today and himself decided their fate. It is an outrage.More>>

    Also:

    Earlier Trial Coverage:


    Parliament Today: Urgency Follows Budget
    The House moved into Urgency this afternoon after leaders gave their speeches in reply to the Budget Speech.More...

    Also:


    Budget 2012: Prescription Charges Help Fund Health
    Health Minister Tony Ryall has announced the Government will increase the $3 prescription charge to $5 per item up to a maximum of 20 items from 1 January 2013. The savings will be reinvested in the health sector. More >>
    Also:

    Court of Appeal: Govt Should Pay Family Caregivers
    The victory in the Court of Appeal for families caring for disabled family members should be taken notice of by the Government says Green MP Catherine DelahuntyMore >>

    ALSO:

    LATEST HEADLINES

    More RSS  RSS
     
    More RSS  RSS News AlertsNews Alerts
     
     
     
    Politics
    Search Scoop  
     
     
    powered by newsagent
    NZ independent news