National Drugs in Wastewater Testing Programme - Quarter 3, 2024

Results are now available for the third quarter (2024) of drugs in wastewater testing, which covers around 76% 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 2023 (National Drug Intelligence Bureau (2023). The New Zealand Illicit Drug Harm Index 2023: Research report. Wellington: Ministry of Health). The Drug Harm Index 2023 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 2024)

Methamphetamine

• Methamphetamine use across sample sites increased substantially in Q3 2024, averaging an estimated 32.4 kilograms per week. This was double the average quantity consumed per week over the previous four quarters (108% or 16.8 kilograms).
• All districts recorded above average methamphetamine use when compared with their respective average consumption rates over the previous four quarters.
• Methamphetamine use across sample sites in Q3 2024 equates to an estimated weekly social harm cost of $34 million.

Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)

• MDMA use increased in Q3 2024, averaging an estimated 8.5 kilograms per week. This was above the average quantity consumed over the previous four quarters (22% or 1.5 kilograms above).
• Half of the districts recorded above average MDMA use when compared with their average consumption rates over the previous four quarters.
• MDMA use across sample sites in Q3 2024 equates to an estimated weekly social harm cost of $1.8 million.

Cocaine

• Cocaine use also increased in Q3 2024, averaging an estimated 5.5 kilograms per week. This remained above the average quantity consumed over the previous four quarters (86% or 2.5 kilograms above).
• All districts recorded above average cocaine use when compared with their respective average consumption rates over the previous four quarters.
• Cocaine use across sample sites in Q3 2024 equates to an estimated weekly social harm cost of $2.1 million.