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18 Dec 2024

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17 Dec 2024

A potent synthetic opioid was detected in fake oxycodone tablets seized by the New Zealand Customs Service. The tablets were found to contain either N-pyrrolidino isotonitazene OR N-pyrrolidino protonitazene. These substances come from a class of highly potent synthetic opioids known as nitazenes. Pharmacological data suggest nitazenes exhibit potency similar to, and in some cases greater than, fentanyl. Learn More

10 Dec 2024

Several music festivals will not offer drug testing this summer, according to New Zealand's main drug checking agency for events. It has been three years since New Zealand first started allowing drug testing organisations to work legally at festivals. KnowYourStuffNZ general manager Casey Spearing said seven upcoming festivals - which they had previously attended - had declined their services. Learn More

08 Dec 2024

New Zealand Customs Service have seized a new synthetic cathinone, N-isopropylbutylone, at the border. This is the first confirmed detection of this substance in New Zealand. This substance was also identified in a sample of presumed MDMA at a drug checking clinic within the last week. It is currently unknown how widespread this substance may be. Learn More

04 Dec 2024

Drug decriminalisation, regulated cannabis trials, more pill testing and syringe programs are on the list of health reforms demanded by Australia's largest specialist medical society. The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) is the collective voice of more than 30,000 specialists across Australia and New Zealand, from 33 different specialties including addiction medicine, public health, and general medicine. Learn More

03 Dec 2024

Heroin is a strong opioid drug made from the opium poppy. In New Zealand, ‘homebake heroin’ refers to heroin produced from pharmaceutical codeine or morphine. Heroin is a depressant, meaning it slows down your brain and body functions. It can make you feel euphoric, warm, and sleepy and temporarily relieve pain. Heroin can also make you feel groggy, itchy, and nauseous and cause slowed breathing and loss of consciousness. As heroin is about 4x as strong as morphine, it carries a high risk of overdose. Learn More

02 Dec 2024

Heroin has been found in a white powder that was sold as cocaine within the Auckland region. People who consume this powder thinking its cocaine are at high risk of experiencing serious harm, including death. Learn More

27 Nov 2024

Join us across Aotearoa for events this World AIDS Day.  Learn More

27 Nov 2024

The world’s decades-long response to HIV is at an inflection point. Despite successes, the world is currently not on track to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. Learn More

26 Nov 2024

A significant increase in drug use and availability is a concern and shows a need for an increase in support and harm reduction, says the NZ Drug Foundation Te Puna Whakaiti Pāmamae Kai Whakapiri. Learn More

25 Nov 2024

The Beyond The Valley music festival will be Victoria's first pill testing trial site, Premier Jacinta Allan has confirmed, and more are set to be unveiled. About 35,000 are expected to attend the three-day festival that runs from 28 December to 1 January and will be held at Barunah Plains in Hesse, west of Geelong — about 1.5 hours from Melbourne's CBD. Learn More

21 Nov 2024

The nature of the trans experience for me, and many, is of being forcibly politicised from a young age. Our existence is debated by people with little understanding of it, and often with no consideration for our lived realities. This is especially relevant now, as we find ourselves in the midst of a culture war that none of us asked to be part of. I find it important to share my own experiences and those of my community. Learn More

21 Nov 2024

The first findings from the 2024 New Zealand Drug Trends Survey (NZDTS) show a decline in the price of meth, increasing cocaine use and availability and an increased availability of psychedelics. Learn More

18 Nov 2024

The toxic chemical mercury chloride has been detected in a white powder presumed to be MDMA in the Wellington region. Mercury chloride is very toxic to humans and should not be consumed. It does not have any psychoactive effects. The substance is believed to be circulating in the Wellington region and may possibly be present in other regions. The concern is people may already have this substance believing it to be MDMA, or that this substance may continue to be supplied as MDMA. It is important to never assume that what you have is what you are being told it is. Misrepresentation can occur anywhere along the supply chain. Learn More

13 Nov 2024

On Monday evening Rodger Wright needle exchange staff proudly invited clients in, showing them the new, self-funded space, renovated for them. Named after Rodger Wright, one of the first men to speak openly about his experience with HIV/AIDs and advocate against it’s stigma, the needle exchange has become the busiest in the South Island. It is the only clinic in New Zealand with a Hepatitis C clinic and exchange with the highest test and treatment rates in the country, it was long overdue. Learn More

13 Nov 2024

This guide was created as a small collaborative effort by some trans people at NHRC. We’ve tried to bring the nuance and wholeness of our lived experience that covers a wide range of roles as both providers and participants. To this end, we put together a broad selection of tips for harm reductionists on both ends of that spectrum. These tips are neither universal nor exhaustive. This is merely a snapshot of our experiences, general beliefs, and suggested best practices across the fluid and intersectional positions we occupy in the Harm Reduction movement. Learn More

06 Nov 2024

The government says we'll have roadside drug testing in place by the end of the year. It's been a long time coming, but some say it could make roads even riskier. The government's roadside drug testing scheme is a step closer to being rolled out, but drug experts are warning it could penalise people using prescription medicines and force them to use other, undetectable and potentially more dangerous substances. Learn More

05 Nov 2024

The Global State of Harm Reduction is the only report that provides an independent analysis of harm reduction in the world. Now in its the ninth edition, the Global State of Harm Reduction 2024 is the most comprehensive global mapping of harm reduction responses to drug use, HIV and viral hepatitis. Learn More

04 Nov 2024

There is a kernel of truth in Mike King's widely derided comments about alcohol and mental health, the boss of the Mental Health Foundation has acknowledged. King made a comment that alcohol was a “solution for people with mental health issues” in a NewstalkZB interview on Wednesday. Learn More

04 Sep 2024

The latest report published by the New Zealand Drug Foundation (2024) on International Overdose Day harshly reflects systemic issues and inequalities, highlighting how these issues exacerbate risks faced by people who use drugs. Data collected from 2016 to 2023 reveals 1,179 accidental overdose reports in Aotearoa. Learn More

16 Aug 2024

The New Zealand Drug Foundation has issued an urgent warning following the discovery of potentially lethal levels of methamphetamine inside a Rinda-branded pineapple lolly. Lab analysis from a drug checking clinic located in Auckland revealed 3 grams of methamphetamine concealed in a single lolly. Equating to almost 300 standard doses, this exceeds typical ingestion levels and poses a serious risk of fatal overdose. Potential symptoms of methamphetamine toxicity include but are not limited to chest pain, seizures, hyperthermia, delirium and loss of consciousness. Individuals experiencing these symptoms post-consumption should seek immediate medical attention by contacting 111, additionally, 0800 POISON (0800 764 766) is available by phone for round-the-clock advice. Learn More

06 Jun 2024

Changes to Pharmacy Needle Exchange Stock Learn More

07 Nov 2022

Fatal drug overdoses in Aotearoa have risen 54%​ in the past five years, which advocates say is “simply unacceptable”. Learn More

05 Oct 2022

The New Zealand Needle Exchange Programme is looking for a National Practice and Policy Lead who will be responsible for establishing, leading and supporting our organisation to enhance its harm reduction capabilities. The role spans policy and practice development, training and development, quality assurance, service development and will work closely with our National Harm Reduction Lead. The position description link. Learn More

27 Jun 2022

NZNEP National Harm Reduction Lead, Jason George spoke to StuffNZ about the response to the hospitalisation of 12 people in the Wairarapa region, calling for the scaling up of drug checking services around NZ. In response to the hospitalisations, the NZ Drug Foundation is working with the NZNEP to provide a pop-up drug checking clinic at the NZNEP Masterton branch on Thursday 30th June 2022 from 12-4pm as well as increasing the availability of Naloxone nasal spray and Fentanyl testing strips. Learn More

13 Apr 2022

A balance sheet shows treatment for HIV is our most successful public health programme ever. The bottom line of some new data is that the New Zealand Needle Exchange Programme has doubled its return over the last 20 years, indicating less is spent now than it was in the early 2000s on treating HIV, also hepatitis B and C, and other injection-related injuries. Learn More

23 Nov 2021

The New Zealand Needle Exchange Programme has been approved and Gazetted to provide drug checking services at needle exchange outlets and Parliament has voted to pass the Drug and Substance Checking Legislation Bill (No 2) into law. Learn More

13 Sep 2021

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31 Aug 2021

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08 Aug 2021

New Zealand Police have discovered 6 homebake heroin labs in Auckland in recent months. Learn More

16 Apr 2021

NZNEP National Operations Manager Philippa Jones and Harm Reduction Lead Jason George met with Christchurch Labour MPs Dr Megan Woods, Sarah Pallett & Dr Tracey McLellan today to talk about the benefits of our service and shared some real stories of how the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 impacts the lives of people who use drugs. Learn More

16 Oct 2020

The Needle Exchange Services Trust (NEST) is pleased to announce Philippa Jones has been appointed to the position of National Operations Manager for the New Zealand Needle Exchange Programme. Learn More

29 May 2020

The New Zealand Needle Exchange Programme (NZNEP) has launched an online shop to make the service more accessible and to reduce the need for in-person visits in response to Covid-19. For the last 33 years the NZNEP has distributed equipment from dedicated needle exchange outlets, mobile services, pharmacies and a small number of other locations that are part of the NZNEP. Learn More

13 Mar 2020

NZNEP Harm Reduction Lead Jason George and Dr Rhys Ponton from the University of Auckland co-authored a letter published in the New Zealand Medical Journal on 13/3/20 warning of a possible increase in opioid overdoses in New Zealand due to a change to the morphine products available in New Zealand. The changes will see Arrow long acting (LA) morphine discontinued in New Zealand leaving m-Eslon morphine capsules as the only long acting morphine formulation available. The change will have minimal impact on patients but there are potential consequences for the illicit opioid scene. Learn More

27 Jun 2019

Whilst there are a number of risk factors, people who inject drugs bear the burden of Hepatitis C with 95% of new infections occurring within the injecting community. People who inject drugs make up a sizeable proportion of the 25,000 New Zealanders that we estimate are unaware that they may have hepatitis C. Learn More

07 May 2019

Today marks the 6th International Harm Reduction Day, a day focussed on promoting evidence based public health policy, practices and human rights. Established over 30 years ago, the New Zealand Needle Exchange Programme is one of New Zealand’s most successful public health programmes. Last year the programme distributed 3.75 million needles. Internationally, HIV prevalence amongst people who inject drugs is 13%, in New Zealand it is just 0.2% largely due to the early introduction of needle exchange. Learn More

13 Dec 2018

The New Zealand Needle Exchange Programme welcomes the government’s announcement this morning, and its long awaited response to our current public health crisis relating to synthetic drugs. Learn More

04 Dec 2018

We welcome the release of the Mental Health and Addictions Inquiry’s Report this morning. The report is a comprehensive analysis of the current challenges within our mental health and addiction sector and we look forward to digesting the 219 page report in full. Learn More

08 Nov 2018

At the New Zealand Needle Exchange Programme, we welcome the report released yesterday by Sense Partners and the New Zealand Drug Foundation. As a drug user-based programme, this is an issue that is particularly important and very personal to us. We’ve long argued for a health-based approach and the research shows that this is the most effective response in addressing drug harms. With this report, we now have the economic evidence. Learn More

16 Mar 2018

Watch our Executive Director make this powerful statement on stigma to the CND. Learn More

22 Feb 2018

The NEP continued its ongoing presence at the Big Gay Out and its support for the rainbow community by attending the Ending HIV Big Gay Out. Unfortunately the event for the first time in 10 years was cancelled on the day due to heavy rain and health and safety issues. However, NEP rainbow staff were set up early in our specially designed t shirts and engaged with the community prior to the event was cancelled. Learn More

01 Feb 2018

A research study into the efficacy of rapid testing in needle exchanges funded by a grant from ABBVIE has recently been completed. Over 200 clients across 3 sites on the West Coast, Christchurch and Dunedin participated in the study which involved the administration of a finger prick test and following up testing/referral to treatment by needle exchange staff. As people who inject drugs bear the burden of hepatitis C and usually don’t access mainstream services due to fear of stigma and discrimination, this study was critical in establishing the validity of new services being provided in the exchanges themselves. As the needle exchange is a peer based, peer led programme, NZNEP has a credibility within the injecting drug using community. Learn More

06 Jan 2018

"I do not think it is possible to have the perfect solution ... when the position is ... a balance of awfulness" said Dr Michael Bassett, the minister of health, as he introduced a bill that created the world's first, state-sponsored needle programme for intravenous drug users. It was 1987 and David Lange's Labour Government and much of New Zealand were spooked by the arrival of Aids in this country. Learn More

17 Dec 2017

This weekend will mark the 30th anniversary of legislation to support the implementation of one of New Zealand’s most successful public health programmes. The New Zealand Needle Exchange Programme has been leading harm reduction in New Zealand for 30 years. Learn More