Cannabis use increased during the sixties (1960s), when young people experimented with psychotropic drugs. This consumption has continued to this day. It is the fourth most popular recreational drug after caffeine, alcohol and tobacco. In New Zealand, it is illegal to grow “prohibited plants”. This act is punishable by up to seven years in prison. In the 2020 parliamentary elections, we will all be able to vote on the legalization and regulation of cannabis. For more information, visit our Vote Yes page If you have accidentally taken an illegal drug or think you have done so, you can contact the National Poison Centre on 0800 764 766 for advice. If it is an emergency number 111. New Zealand law creates strong legal safeguards for those who provide the service and those who use it. It does not legalize the possession, purchase or sale of drugs.

Around 50,000 people receive support for substance use each year in New Zealand – and it is estimated that only a third of those with problems. The current legal prohibition of certain drugs in New Zealand also means that we spend a lot on law enforcement – including police, courts and prison beds. The cultivation and distribution of industrial hemp was legalized in 2006 under the Misuse of Drugs (Industrial Hemp) Regulations. [12] [13] Cannabis continued to be used as a prescription drug. In accordance with its international obligations under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, New Zealand enacted the Narcotic Control Act in 1965, which prohibits a number of drugs, including cannabis. [11] However, the referendum was overshadowed by the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, and polls showed that public support for marijuana legalization was declining. There is a wide range of controlled and illegal drugs that the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 classifies according to the degree of harm they cause to people who abuse them: learn more about how to be safer when using illegal drugs. “Reasonable reasons” are things like smelling or seeing drugs on you, seeing how you`re taking drugs, or acting like you`re high. Normally, only a police officer can search you if you are a woman. Drug researchers in the UK believe the government should take a similar approach here, telling the outside world that there is no legal risk of harm from testing.

To learn more about these drugs, including their health effects, how to minimize their harms, the law and associated penalties, and how to get help, visit the New Zealand Drug Foundation website. People use alcohol and other drugs for many reasons – recovery, spiritual discovery, performance enhancement, peer pressure or to treat physical or emotional pain. Most people who use substances will not experience lasting negative effects – according to the Ministry of Health, four out of five New Zealand adults who have used an illicit drug in the past year have reported no harmful effects. Among the British colonies, New Zealand was one of the few regions where the UK did not promote extensive production of industrial hemp, as the native Harakeke plant could be used for fibre instead. [9] In 1927, New Zealand passed the Dangerous Drugs Act, the schedule of which listed controlled drugs, among other things: the police can only search your mouth if you agree. You can only be searched internally (and only by a doctor) if you have been arrested and the police have reasonable grounds to believe you have drugs in your body. Home > Advice & Services > Drugs and Alcohol > Illicit Drugs – Crimes and Punishment Know your stuff – without knowing what you`re using, you can`t predict what effect it will have, how long it will take, how long it will take, and what the health risks might be. Illicit drugs are often not pure, and it can be difficult to know what they are mixed with. Avoid mixing – using more than one substance significantly increases the risk of harm.

The way different medications interact can be unpredictable, and using more than one at a time can put more stress on your body. In some cases, this can be dangerous and have harmful effects. Choose the safest method – make sure you take your medication in the safest way. That means thinking about how, when, and where you use it. Take only as much as necessary to achieve the desired effect – using a smaller amount can often achieve the expected effects while reducing adverse effects. This is a much safer approach because an overdose is caused by the use of one or more substances. Use it with other people who can take care of you – only take medication when you`re with people you trust who can help you if something doesn`t go as planned. Check if you`re living the life you want – keep an eye out for signs that your drug use is affecting your life in some way. Do you have trouble getting out of bed or going to work? Are bills starting to pile up or are you not meeting your obligations? These can be signs that your drug use is negatively affecting your life, and it may be time to make changes or seek help. Using Drug Control Services at Events – Drug Control is a free service that tests recreational drug safety.

It is available in New Zealand from KnowYourStuffNZ.