National Drugs in Wastewater Testing Programme - Quarter 3, 2023

Results are now available for the third quarter (2023) of drugs in wastewater testing, which covers around 75% of New Zealand’s population.

The drugs tested for include methamphetamine, MDMA, cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin. These reports focus on methamphetamine, MDMA and cocaine as these drugs are routinely detected by the programme.

Social harm cost estimates have been included in this report. These are derived from the New Zealand Illicit Drug Harm Index 2020 (McFadden M, Bellamore L & MacDonald B. (2021). The New Zealand Illicit Drug Harm Index 2020: Research report. Wellington: Ministry of Health). The Drug Harm Index 2020 provides a conservative measure of the harms associated with the use of illicit drugs in New Zealand and considers both personal and community harms.

Key findings: July – September (Q3 2023)

Methamphetamine

• Methamphetamine consumption across sample sites in Q3 2023 averaged an estimated 13.8 kilograms per week. This was above the average quantity consumed over the previous four quarters (8 percent or 1 kilogram above).
• Several districts recorded small increases in methamphetamine consumption, being above their respective average consumption rates over the previous four quarters.
• Methamphetamine use across samples sites in Q3 2023 equates to an estimated weekly social harm cost of $15.3 million.

Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)

• MDMA consumption across sample sites was variable in Q3 2023, averaging an estimated 6.9 kilograms per week. This was above the average quantity consumed over the previous four quarters (19 percent or 1.1 kilograms).
• Several districts recorded small increases in MDMA consumption. Southern District recorded the largest increase, more than doubling their average MDMA consumption rate over the previous four quarters.
• MDMA use across samples sites in Q3 2023 equates to an estimated weekly social harm cost of $0.96 million.

Cocaine

• Cocaine consumption across sample sites increased in Q3 2023 to an average of 2.6 kilograms per week. This remained above the average quantity consumed per week over the previous four quarters (68 percent or 1.1 kilograms above).
• All districts recorded above average cocaine consumption when compared with their respective average consumption rates over the previous four quarters.
• Cocaine use across samples sites in Q3 2023 equates to an estimated weekly social harm cost of $0.78 million.