Why we need specialist drug courts

Sceptics who question the efficacy of programs run by New Zealand’s three therapeutic drug courts might want to consider recent data from wastewater testing to get better grip on the extent of the meth problem.

Statistics collected by the police during the past 18 months reveal a significant spike in methamphetamine use across the entire country, with consumption almost doubling during the second half of 2024.

Worst-hit regions are Northland (particularly Kaikohe), Gisborne, south Auckland and Rotorua. And in the central Hawke’s Bay township of Waipukurau, meth use has increased by 333% over the past year.